Wayanad (Kerala) | With search operations underway in calamity-ravaged Mundakkai in Wayanad district, rescue operators say that heavy machinery is required to remove the huge trees uprooted in the landslides that buried several houses.

"We are standing on the terrace of a building, and a smell is emanating from underneath, indicating the presence of dead bodies. The building is fully covered with mud and uprooted trees," a rescue operator told media.

He said that excavators (Hitachis) are available for the operations, but they are insufficient for the task.

"Heavy machinery is required to remove the huge trees and carry out search operations in the collapsed buildings. Only then can we make progress in the search operations," he added.

Wayanad district is grappling with a mounting crisis as the landslide death toll reaches 173, with more than 200 injured, and authorities warn of a potential surge in fatalities as rescue efforts uncover additional debris and buried victims.

A series of catastrophic landslides, triggered by heavy downpours, ravaged the sleepy hamlets of Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha in the early hours of Tuesday, resulting in significant loss of life, with women and children among the victims.