Published: July 30, 2024 8:15 am
Author: RT
The army has been mobilized for rescue operations in Kerala in the country’s south
At least three dozen people, including several children, were killed in southern India’s Kerala state when a massive landslide hit Wayanad district on Tuesday. Hundreds more are feared trapped underneath debris as rescue operations continue.
Around 70 people sustained injuries and are being treated in nearby hospitals, Kerala’s health minister Veena George said. The rescue mission, initially carried out by the National Disaster Response Force and civil defense, is being complicated by the continuing rainfall, Indian media reported.
India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has instructed the army to mobilize forces for rescue operations in the landslide-affected region.
India’s President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as other top officials have shared their condolences on social media. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Modi said he had spoken to the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, and assured all possible help from the federal government. The PM has announced Rs 200,000 ($2,380) in compensation for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 ($600) for those injured.
54 Dead, Hundreds Missing After 3 Massive Landslides Hit Wayanad
With badly damaged infrastructure & heavy rain hampering rescue efforts, eyewitnesses have reported seeing bodies floating by in the Kerala district.
Videos from Mundakkai in Wayanad show the scale of destruction… https://t.co/reYXcI9SwW pic.twitter.com/dhCAShlSmd
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) July 30, 2024
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of India’s opposition Congress party, also took to X to express grief. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones,” he said, adding that he would speak to federal ministers to provide assistance to the affected district. Notably, Gandhi served as a Member of Parliament representing Wayanad in the Lower House (Lok Sabha) from 2019-2024.
READ MORE: Indian Army builds bridge in 48 hours amid devastating floods (VIDEO)
Each year, landslides kill hundreds of people in India during monsoon season, with hilly states being particularly affected.
On Monday, a landslide in Dimthanlong, a village in Manipur in Northeast India, killed a mother and her child. A massive landslide in the same state had killed 58 people in 2022.
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