Kerala: Death toll in Idukki landslide rises to 43

The rescue team has found 43 bodies of people who were killed in the massive landslide in the high range Idukki district.  

Idukki: The death toll in the massive landslide in Kerala's Idukki rose to 43 on Sunday with 17 more bodies being retrieved from the debris. Rescue teams are still on the search for 27 more people.

2 NDRF teams consisting of 57 people, Idukki Fire and Rescue team of 50 members who have special training, 24-member team from Kottayam and 27-member team from Thiruvananthapuram are leading rescue operations in Rajamala.

According to the government, over 80 people were staying at the spot where the tragedy occurred. 12 people were rescued.

The landslide destroyed a row of 20 houses of tea estate workers in the high range Idukki district of Kerala.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Idukki, Malappuram and Wayanad districts on Sunday.

Hundreds of families have been shifted to relief camps from-low lying areas including Kumarakom and Kuttanad regions of Kottayam and Alappuzha districts.