At least 108 individuals have tragically lost their lives, and 128 others have sustained injuries following landslides that struck Kerala in southern India, as confirmed by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The Chief Minister stated during a press briefing that "The catastrophe has resulted in the loss of 108 lives, with 128 individuals injured and receiving treatment in various hospitals."

Landslides caused by ceaseless monsoon rains hit tea plantations in Wayanad district around 2 am on Tuesday, triggering a deluge of mud, water, and rocks due to heavy rainfall.

The landslides have isolated at least four villages in the area, impeding rescue operations amid continuous rain and blocked transport routes. Most of the victims were plantation workers and their families who were asleep in temporary shelters.

Wayanad is renowned for its sprawling tea estates, which heavily rely on casual labor for planting and harvesting.

Television broadcasts showed rescue teams navigating through uprooted trees and flattened structures as rocks littered the hillsides and muddy water rushed through. Rescuers were seen traversing a stream with stretchers and equipment to aid in rescues.

Following the landslides, nearly 100 families were left stranded, as reported by local Asianet TV.

Due to the destruction of a bridge connecting the affected area to the town of Chooralmala, Indian Army engineers were mobilized to construct a new bridge, according to a statement from the Chief Minister's office.

The Indian meteorological department has forecast further heavy rainfall in the region in the upcoming hours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on social media, announcing a compensation package of $2,400 (200,000 rupees) for the families of the victims.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive disaster plan to tackle the escalating frequency of disasters.

Monsoon rains during June-September not only provide relief from the heat but are also vital for agriculture and food security across South Asia, impacting millions of livelihoods.

However, the monsoons also bring devastation in the form of floods and landslides, with experts attributing the heightened risks to climate change.

Recent intense monsoon conditions in India led to flooding in Mumbai and fatalities due to lightning strikes in Bihar earlier this month.

In 2018, nearly 500 lives were claimed by severe flooding in Kerala, marking one of the deadliest flood episodes in the state's history.

The state witnessed a tragic landslide in 1998, where heavy monsoon-triggered rockfall buried the village of Malpa in the Himalayas, resulting in at least 220 fatalities.