The death toll from a series of landslides that hit Wayanad on Tuesday has risen to more than 173, however, the unofficial toll is 250, with at least 191 people missing. Hundreds of people were injured and thousands were displaced.
With hundreds trapped under the rubble and fears of more deaths, rescue agencies resumed operations early Wednesday to find the remaining survivors. Construction of the Meepadi-Choormala road bridge is in progress, including the introduction of certain earthworks facilities on the other side of the stream using aerial effort.
Military personnel have stepped up search and rescue operations, with the military saying they have rescued nearly 1,000 people.
Rescuers from the army, navy and NDRF are searching under the collapsed roofs and debris for victims and possible survivors of the landslides.
As rescue operations resumed in the landslide-ravaged village of Mundakkai, harrowing scenes of dead bodies sitting and lying inside destroyed houses could be seen. Many inland areas that were completely cut off were not reached by rescuers until Wednesday morning.
Concerns over the mounting death toll have raised concerns that several people may still be trapped under the rubble.
Notably, massive landslides triggered by heavy rains hit Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala and Noolpuzha villages early on Tuesday, destroying several houses, swelling water bodies, uprooting trees and wiping entire villages off the map.
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Most of the victims were asleep when the landslides struck between 1.30am and 4am. Huge boulders and uprooted trees came tumbling down from Mundakkai to Chooralmala causing severe damage. A strong rush of water from the top of the hill changed the small river Iruvazhinji and flooded everything along its banks. Several houses were destroyed, a temple and a mosque were submerged, and a school building was severely damaged.
As many as 45 relief camps were set up in Wayanad accommodating 3,069 people.
Meanwhile, an orange alert has been issued for Wayanad, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts due to extremely heavy rainfall.
