Kerala landslide: Over 20 killed, hundreds feared trapped in Wayanad, rescue ops underway

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday that all government agencies have joined the search and rescue operations in the wake of massive landslides that struck various hilly areas near Meppadi in Kerala's Wayanad district, leaving hundreds feared to be trapped.

A one-year-old child of a Nepali family living in Thondernad village died in a landslide, according to the Wayanad district authorities. 

The operations will be coordinated, and state ministers will reach the hilly district to lead the rescue activities, Chief Minister Vijayan said in a statement issued by his office.

He added that in the wake of the landslides and other rain-related disasters in Wayanad district, the Health Department -- National Health Mission -- has opened a control room. 

Those in need of emergency assistance can contact authorities through these two numbers -- 9656938689 and 8086010833 -- the statement said.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has said that Fireforce and NDRF teams have been deployed to the affected area, with an additional NDRF team en route to Wayanad.

Two teams of Kannur Defence Security Corps have also been instructed to move to Wayanad to assist in the rescue efforts, according to a Facebook post by the KSDMA.

Locals from the affected areas report that many people are feared to be trapped.

Rescue operations are being hindered by ongoing heavy rainfall.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)