Kerala landslides: 158 people dead, 213 injured

Wayanad (Kerala): As many as 158 people have died and over 200 injured in the massive landslides that hit the northern Kerala district of Wayanad a day ago, with the numbers expected to increase as rescuers unearth debris, the district administration said on Wednesday.

The 158 dead include 18 children, it said.

It also said that 86 bodies were identified and post-mortem of 147 were completed.

Out of 52 body parts recovered, the post-mortem of 42 was completed, it said.

Of the 158 bodies, 75 were handed over to relatives or next of kin, it further said.

It also said that 213 people were admitted to hospitals from the disaster-hit areas and of them 97 are still undergoing treatment.

Rescue teams comprising the Army, Navy and NDRF are collectively looking for survivors by unearthing the debris and breaking into the remains of houses destroyed or covered up with mud in the landslides.

The landslides occurred around 2 am and 4.10 am on Tuesday, catching people off-guard while they were sleeping, leading to a high number of casualties.

Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains struck the picturesque hamlets of Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha, leaving behind a trail of death, destruction and despair.