Landslides triggered by heavy rain in Kerala, India, have killed at least 93 people, primarily tea estate workers and their families, who were asleep in makeshift shelters when the hillsides collapsed, Reuters reports.
Rescuers faced challenging conditions, working through uprooted trees, flattened structures, and boulders, with some victims trapped in chest-high mud. The disaster destroyed a bridge, hindering rescue operations, but army engineers are constructing a replacement. Approximately 350 families lived in the affected region, with 250 people rescued so far. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue, complicating rescue operations.
The disaster is the worst in Kerala since the 2018 floods, which killed nearly 400 people. The state’s chief minister and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi have called for coordinated rescue efforts and federal support.
