Rescuers search through mud and debris as deaths rise to 151 in landslides in southern India

NEW DELHI — Hundreds of rescue workers searched through the mud and rubble of multiple landslides that have killed at least 151 people in southern India on Wednesday, police said.

The multiple landslides occurred after torrential rains caused torrents of mud and water that swept away tea plantations and villages.

Another 186 people were injured in landslides that hit the mountainous areas of Kerala state’s Wayanad district early Tuesday, leveling houses, uprooting trees and destroying bridges, said police officer Aijaz, who uses only one name.

More than a dozen bodies were found overnight, Aijaz said, as more than 300 rescuers worked to extricate people trapped under mud and debris, but their efforts were hampered by blocked roads and unstable terrain.