A landslide triggered by torrential seasonal rains swept through a hilly region in southern India, killing at least 39 people, an official said today.
The landslide demolished nearly 300 tin-roofed mud huts yesterday in the Ooty and Coonoor region of Tamil Nadu state, a state flood control official said. The region is about 1,800 kms south of the capital, New Delhi.
Rescuers found 14 bodies in the debris yesterday and another 25 today, the official said, adding that eight injured people remain in hospital.
Ooty is a popular tourist destination, but none of those killed or injured were foreigners, he said.
India's June-September monsoon season causes severe flooding and kills hundreds of people across the country. But the annual monsoon brings rains that are vital to agriculture in India.
It is common for the southern parts of the country to receive heavy rains in November and December.
AP