Wayanad devastated by three landslides, 24 confirmed deaths , hundreds still trapped . Death toll likely to rise

The Wayanad district of Kerala has been heavily impacted by three landslides that occurred within a span of 4 hours. The areas that have been most hit include - Meppadi, Chooralmala, Vythiri and Mundakkai. The rescuers are facing obstacles as Mundakkai, where one of the big landslides happened, has been cut off from the rest of the district after the only bridge to the area was swept away in the landslide. Already, around 24 bodies have been recovered from various areas of Wayanad. The death toll is expected to go up. Health Minister Veena George said that 24 deaths have been confirmed in Chooralmala. Six bodies have been kept at a private hospital and 18 at a government health centre in Meppadi. The Minister also said that 70 persons have been reported injured so far.
Wayand is a hilly region dotted by tea estates. There are many tea estates in the region and workers live in houses called ‘layams’ on the hills. Many of the layams were destroyed in the rains, while others have simply been devastated by landslides, trapping and killing the residents. The landslides happened between 2 am and 6 am on Tuesday, July 30. However, rescuers, including from the NDRF, found it difficult to reach Mundakkai as the Chooral Mala bridge and Mundakkai bridge- the two bridges that connect the Mundakai areas were completely destroyed.
The NDRF is currently attempting to reach Mundakkai by crossing the river with the help of ropes. Almost 100 people are also trapped in the Tree Valley Resort in Mundakkai. Those trapped include foreign as well as Indian tourists.
More than 64 injured persons have reportedly been admitted to WIMS Hospital in Meppadi.