At least 15 people have been killed after a massive landslide destroyed a tea plantation workers’ settlement in India, local media reported.

The incident took place in Rajakkad in Idukki district of Kerala, India, early on Friday morning.

The Hindustan Times reported that around 50 others are feared trapped in a mound of slush and rock debris.

According to the report, so far, at least 16 people were rescued and taken to the hospital for treatment.

“It is a major tragedy. It is a hilly terrain and some roads connecting to the settlement were washed away in torrential rain. We have sought the Air Force help for airlifting the injured but we were told it will be difficult in inclement weather,” State Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan to the Times.

He added that a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has arrived at the scene.

Meanwhile, local people said the area has been witnessing heavy rains over the last three days and power and communication networks in the area were disrupted due to this. This delayed the rescue work. Since the mishap took place in the early hours, many of those affected were in deep slumber due to which they couldn’t escape, they said.

“We have information that at least 84 people lived in the settlement. Most of them are from neighboring Tamil Nadu. And there was also a canteen to cater to their needs at the settlement,” Parthasarathy, a social worker from the area said quoted by the Hindustan Times.

He added that the death toll may rise up.

The place where the incident took place is about 25 kilometers away from hill resort Munnar which was ravaged by the 2018 flood.

The India Metrological Department (IMD) has declared a red alert in three districts, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Idukki, and orange alert in five other districts. Many rivers are in spate after a heavy downpour and the irrigation department said shutters of some dams, including Idukki, will be opened if the wet condition continued.