At least 93 people have been killed and dozens are still feared trapped after heavy rains triggered massive landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
The landslides struck hilly areas in Wayanad district in the early hours of Tuesday.
Rescue operations are under way, but are being hindered by heavy rains and the collapse of a crucial bridge.
"The situation continues to remain very grave. The causalities may go up," V Venu, the state's top civil servant, told media.
Rescuers help residents move to safety
The landslides are the worst disaster to hit Kerala since 2018, when deadly floods killed more than 400 people.
Officials say more than 200 army personnel have been deployed to assist security forces in search and rescue efforts.
Local hospitals are treating at least 129 injured, and around 250 people have been rescued and shifted to rescue camps so far.
Apart from 65 confirmed deaths in Wayanad, 16 bodies have been found in the Chaliyar river, which flows into neighbouring Malappuram district. The body parts of a few others have also been found.
Wayanad, a hilly district which is part of the Western Ghats mountain range, is prone to landslides during the monsoon season.
The landslides have hit several areas in the district, including Mundakkai, Attamala, Chooralmala and Kunhome.
Arunchandra Bose LandslidesArunchandra Bose
Videos show muddy water gushing through streets and forested areas
Videos on social media showed muddy water gushing through unpaved streets and forested areas, washing away homes and leaving people and vehicles stranded.
A bridge connecting Chooralmala to Mundakkai and Attamala has collapsed, isolating the two places and making it difficult for rescue personnel to reach trapped families.
Rashid Padikkalparamban, a resident, told Reuters news agency that at least three landslides had hit the area around midnight, washing away the bridge.
State and national disaster relief teams are conducting rescue operations. Several locals too have been helping out.
Mr Venu said a small team had managed to cross the river and reach the areas that were cut off. He added that more resources were required, but strong river currents were making it difficult for rescue personnel to cross the river.
Air-relief operations also had to be postponed due to heavy rains, he said.
Raghavan C Arunamala, a local, described horrifying scenes.
“I saw a man trapped in the debris shouting for help. Firefighters and rescue workers have been trying to reach him for the last few hours," he said.
Local media reports say that people are flocking to hospitals to search for their loved ones.
Nearly 350 families are believed to have lived in the affected regions, where a number of tea and cardamom estates are located.
Most victims are people who worked on the estates and were likely asleep in their makeshift tents when landslides struck.
State and national disaster relief teams are conducting rescue operations
Wayanad district and neighbouring areas are still on alert due to the forecast of heavy rains.
Schools and colleges were closed in 10 of 14 districts.
In 2019, 17 people had died after a landslide hit Puthumala in Wayanad, around 10km from the areas currently affected.
Tuesday's tragedy came up in India's parliament as well with Vice-President Jagdeep Singh Dhankar - the chairman of the upper house - calling it a "very painful situation".
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is a former MP from Wayanad, is set to visit the district on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and assured the federal government's help in relief efforts.
Mr Modi also announced compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,388; £1,857) to the victims' families and 50,000 rupees to the injured.
Of those killed, four people, including a child, died in Chooralmala town of the district, while a one-year-old child of a family from Nepal died in Thondernad village, according to the authorities.
Besides that, three bodies, including that of a five-year-old, were recovered from the banks of a river near Pothukal village, they said.
Additionally, hundreds are feared to be trapped, but the authorities have not confirmed the same.
State Revenue Minister K Rajan said that over 70 persons who were injured in the landslides have been admitted to various hospitals.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the incident and said that he spoke to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and assured all possible help from the Centre to the state.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also spoke to Vijayan and expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He called for urgent rescue and relief operations.
Multiple NDRF teams, two helicopters and other rescue efforts are on their way to Mundakkai, which has been totally cut off by devastating landslides, the state government said.
State Revenue Minister K Rajan said one team of NDRF is working to clear the debris and create access as they progress towards Mundakkai.
Three more NDRF teams from Kollam, Arakkonam, and Bengaluru are also on their way, Rajan said.
“Mundakkai is in the foothills of a nearby mountain. The issue is that the area was totally cut off due to the destruction of a bridge. Now efforts are on to make a temporary bridge to facilitate the crossing of the rescue team,” Rajan said.
The state government also sought the assistance of the Indian Army for rescue operations.
A Defence PRO said that a team of 43 personnel, led by the Second-in-Command from the 122 Infantry Battalion (TA) MADRAS, has been mobilised to aid in the ongoing rescue efforts.
The team, comprising a Medical Officer, two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), and 40 soldiers, is equipped to provide critical assistance in the affected area.
Their deployment aims to augment existing rescue operations and provide relief to those affected by the landslides.
Police and the Health department have started multiple call centres and control rooms.
The CM held a high-level evaluation meeting and visited the State Disaster Management Authority office in the state capital to assess the situation.
Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages were among the areas affected and cut off by the landslides, authorities said.
According to district authorities, several families have been moved to the various camps or homes of their relatives in the wake of the landslides.
