A landslide caused by torrential rains killed at least 15 tea garden workers in the southern Indian state of Kerala on Friday (7), and rescue workers were searching for more than 50 people thought to be trapped under soil and debris, officials said.
The landslide hit in the early hours as workers slept, in Idukki district, district collector H Dineshan told Reuters.
Fifteen bodies had been recovered so far and another 51 people were feared to be trapped, he said.
"One team of National Disaster Relief Force have reached the site. Helicopters cannot be deployed as the climate is very misty," he added.
"Pained by the loss of lives due to a landslide in Rajamalai, Idukki. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. NDRF and the administration are working on the ground, providing assistance to the affected," tweeted Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.
Nearly 20 cm (7.9 inches) of rain fell on Thursday (6) in Idukki district, according to data compiled by state-run weather department. Idukki is about 240 km (150 miles) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
"The area has received heavy rains over the last two days and the landslides occurred after midnight. Those affected are mostly tea workers who were sleeping," said S Sureshkumar, the district's additional superintendent of police.
In 2018, Kerala was hit by the worst floods in a century. Hundreds were killed, many of them from Idukki district.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)