Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited the site of landslides that killed more than 200 people last month, vowing to extend “every possible support” to those who lost homes and loved ones.
Torrential monsoon rains battered the southern coastal state of Kerala and triggered landslides on July 30, burying homes and people in Wayanad district under tonnes of rock and soil.
The number of fatal floods and landslides in India has increased in recent years and experts say climate change is exacerbating the problem.
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Wayanad is known for the tea estates that crisscross its hilly countryside and which rely on a large pool of labourers for planting and harvest.
Many of the landslide victims were workers and their families, who were asleep in brick-walled row houses when they were inundated by a powerful wave of brown sludge.
Leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi, who used to represent Wayanad as a member of parliament, said Modi’s visit was “a good decision” and called on him to declare a national disaster.
Modi also visited camps where those who fled the landslides are recovering as well as hospitals.
“Our prayers are with those affected”, Modi said.
“I want to assure the families of the deceased that they are not alone,” he added, saying funds for relief or rehabilitation work would be provided.
Monsoon rains from June to September offer respite from the summer heat and are crucial for agriculture and replenishing water supplies, but they also bring regular destruction.