Latest news Landslides in India: At least 106 dead, many injured
At least 106 people have been killed in massive landslides in southern India. This was announced by local authorities in the affected state of Kerala. Around 100 people are also believed to be missing.
Rescuers were deployed to search for survivors under the rubble of destroyed houses, as reported by the authorities and local media. Some affected locations were initially still cut off from the outside world.
The landslides occurred early Tuesday morning (local time) in the state of Kerala while people were sleeping in their homes. The masses of earth hit villages where hundreds of people reportedly live. Pictures showed great devastation - destroyed houses, piles of rubble, uprooted trees, washed away vehicles.
Heavy monsoon rain had fallen in the region over the past few days, softening the earth. According to the authorities in Kerala, more than 120 injured people are being treated.
The state's health minister, Veena George, announced the construction of a temporary hospital to provide basic care on site and stabilize the injured until they can be transported to other hospitals.
Rescue is difficult
The army and the navy are supporting the helpers on the ground in the Wayanad district, it said. However, rain is hindering the rescue teams in their work. Rescue by air, for example, is proving difficult due to the bad weather, and helicopters have reportedly been unable to land. The region is difficult to access, partly because an important bridge has been washed away.
Sniffer dogs are being used. Footage also showed rescue teams stretching ropes across fast-flowing, muddy rivers to save people. Heavy rainfall is forecast in the region for the next 24 hours.
Dozens of migrant workers employed on the tea, coffee and cardamom plantations in the area were unreachable, the news portal Malayalam Manorama reported. Mobile phone networks in the region were initially not working.
Tourist resorts are also located in the area. According to media reports, 250 people were trapped in one resort. The landslides hit three places in the state of Kerala, Mepaddi, parts of Mundakkai and Chooralmala. No further details were initially known.
India's politicians express their condolences
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X: "My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones and my prayers are with the injured." Rescue operations were underway to help all those affected, he added. Modi also announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees (about 2,200 euros) for the relatives of the victims and 50,000 rupees for each injured person.
Floods and mudslides are an annual feature of the monsoon season, which lasts from May to September in India. The rain is vital for plant life and agriculture, but can also be life-threatening for people.
"Our country has seen an alarming increase in landslides in recent years," said opposition politician Rahul Gandhi in parliament. The grandson of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi called for measures against these natural disasters. He plans to travel to the affected region on Wednesday.
Deaths also in neighboring Pakistan
Heavy rainfall also caused death and destruction in neighboring Pakistan. Rescue workers and local disaster control authorities told the German Press Agency that more than 20 people have died in several parts of the country since Monday.
Thousands of tourists are stranded in the mountains in the north of the country, according to a spokesman for the provincial authorities. Rescue workers are on their way to free people from the now inaccessible villages.
Help from Brussels
In order to cushion the devastating consequences of the extreme weather conditions, the EU is pledging a total of 2.4 million euros in humanitarian aid to Bangladesh, India and the Philippines. The money is to benefit the most affected population. India and Bangladesh together are to receive half of the aid, with the other 1.2 million euros earmarked for the Philippines.
