A massive landslides struck at the hilly areas in Kerala’s Wayanad district due to heavy rain on early Tuesday morning. Agencies including the NDRF and the Army have been deployed in the district as many are still feared trapped under the debris. Chooralmala, Mundakkai, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages were among the worst affected. Many people are also feared to have been washed away in the Chaliyar river. The death toll rose to at least 158 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted ‘heavy to very heavy rainfall’ at isolated places.As a result of the disaster, all educational institutions will remain closed on Wednesday Also, holiday has been declared in 11 districts – Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta. Additionally, the national flag will be flown at half-mast as the Kerala government has declared an official state mourning. All public functions and celebratory programmes scheduled by the government, have been postponed.In Wayanad, 45 relief camps have been established, accommodating 3,069 people. Visuals and videos on social media showed uprooted trees and damaged houses dotting the district, known for its picturesque locales and tea estates.A total of 225 Army personnel have been deployed for rescue operations. Several companies of the Army have also been moved from Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru to Calicut. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 as compensation for the injured. The Kerala Government has opened two control rooms to attend to distress calls from citizens ( 9656938689 and 8086010833).