O.S. Jerry, a cardamom estate manager, said he regularly traveled through the district. “There was a lovely school over here,” he said, adding that many houses were now gone.

Yunus, another tea estate manager, said two villages were washed away. “We have been able to find 200 people. Many others are missing,” said Yunus, who also uses one name.

The first landslide hit at 2 a.m. Tuesday (4:30 p.m. Monday ET), followed by another two hours later. Several areas, including Meppadi,…