India: Landslide Death Toll Rises to 43 in Kerala

At least 43 bodies were recovered after a huge landslide caused by monsoon rains washed away hundreds of tea farm employees in southwestern India, police said on Sunday.

The landslide in the Idukki area, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the state capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, happened on Friday, but continuing search and rescue operations have been hampered by torrential downpours.

The toll rose to 43 on Sunday afternoon, Chief of Police of the Idukki District, R. Karuppasamy told AFP.

Twenty-six of the remains were found on Friday night, a police officer said earlier on Sunday.

Local media recorded that some 78 people were assumed to be staying in the region, many of whom were still missing.

Kerala has been hit by deadly floods during the annual monsoon.

At least 18 people died in a passenger plane accident in Kerala on Friday, as the Air India Express flight crossed the runway attempting to land in a storm and fell down the river.

The monsoon in South Asia is crucial to the replenishment of rivers and wetlands, but it also triggers widespread death and damage.

More than 300 people have died in flooding and landslides in East and North East India , Bangladesh and Nepal in recent weeks.