The authorities in India reported 24 fatalities from the heavy rains and floods this Tuesday in the southern state of Kerala, a region under red alert as new rainfall arrives and rescue efforts continue. “So far, we have received 24 bodies in several hospitals, and many injured people are receiving treatment,” stated Kerala Health Minister Veena George in remarks to the PTI news agency.
The tragedy unfolded in Wayanad district early on the morning of Tuesday when a series of massive landslides triggered by the intense rains buried homes and damaged a bridge. “Rescue operations are underway, and we are exploring every possibility to save lives,” George added.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Wayanad district as well as nearby areas such as Kozhikode, warning of up to 204 millimeters of rain in a 24-hour period. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted on the social platform X that he instructed disaster management agencies to coordinate rescue operations quickly in Wayanad following the devastating landslide.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on X that the central government would provide all possible assistance during a phone call with Vijayan. He also announced a relief payment of 200,000 rupees (about 2,206 euros) to the families of those who lost loved ones. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who won a seat in the region in June, offered condolences to the affected families and expressed hopes for the safe return of anyone still trapped.
This episode of heavy rainfall is tied to the annual monsoon season, which sweeps across India and much of South Asia from May through September, bringing both critical water supplies and significant damage in affected years. In a broader regional context, more than 50 people have died due to monsoon-related floods in the northeastern state of Assam since late May, underscoring the widespread danger posed by this climate pattern.