India landslides: death toll passes 100 with dozens feared missing

At least 108 people have died and dozens more are missing after heavy rain led to a series of landslides in the Indian state of Kerala, with rescue operations hampered by poor weather conditions and the destruction of roads and bridges.

The Kerala chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, confirmed the bodies of 108 people had been uncovered so far and dozens more were missing, feared dead after three massive landslides surged down the hills of the Western Ghats in Wayanad in southern India. About 128 people were injured in the disaster and thousands were moved to camps for safety.

The landslides took place in the early hours of the morning amid heavy rainfall. Hundreds of people were asleep in homes that were swept away or crushed as a river of mud, rocks and uprooted trees swept down the steep hilly terrain. Many migrant labourers working on nearby tea and cardamom plantations had been staying in temporary homes and tents that were easily washed away.

In a statement, Vijayan described the incident as “one of the worst natural calamities Kerala has ever witnessed”.

“Among the victims were children who lost their lives while they were asleep during the wee hours, highlighting the harrowing impact of this disaster. Many residents fled in terror … the damage to homes and livelihoods is immense,” said the chief minister.

Many were still missing and feared to have been engulfed in the deadly flow of muddy water that gushed through the area. Rescuers said the death toll was likely to rise.

Related: Bangladesh floods leave at least eight dead amid fears situation could worsen

Access to the affected sites remained difficult for rescuers amid heavy monsoon rain and destroyed roads, with at least four villages still completely cut off.

More than 200 soldiers were deployed to help in the rescue operation and the army was asked to build a temporary crossing after a bridge in the district that linked the affected forest area to the nearest town of Chooralmala was destroyed. A weather red alert meant that helicopters were not allowed to be deployed to help.

“The situation is serious. The government has pressed all agencies into rescue,” the forests minister, AK Saseendran, told reporters.

The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, was monitoring the disaster and pledged a full rescue effort to find those still trapped in the debris.

The opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, the former MP for Wayanad, said he was “deeply anguished” by the massive landslides. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones. I hope those still trapped are brought to safety soon,” he wrote on X.

The south Indian state has increasingly been hit by flooding and landslides caused by irregular and intense rainfall during monsoon seasons.

In August 2018, almost 500 people died after severe flooding across the state owing to unusually heavy rainfall, the worst floods in a century.