With the recovery of three more bodies on Tuesday, the death toll in the landslip in Pettimudy, near Munnar, rose to 52.
Two bodies were recovered in the morning and one by afternoon, from the Kanniyar river, a revenue official said.
According to an official estimate, 18 persons are still missing. Devikulam Subcollector S. Premkrishnan said nine of them were children. The administration had shifted 65 families to a camp. Fog and heavy rain were hampering the search operation, he said.
Four estate lanes were completely buried in landslip debris.
More bodies swept into the river were expected to be recovered on Wednesday, Mr. Premkrishnan said.
Earthmovers were used to search the area. Some of the bodies were more than 10 feet beneath the debris.
