Kozhikode, Jul 31 (IANS): A day after the massive landslides struck Kerala's Wayanad, desperate scenes were witnessed with the rescue teams reaching the destroyed houses and frantically searching for missing people, even as the death toll on Wednesday reached 159, with 98 still missing.

The worst affected areas include Churalpara, Velarimala, Mundakayil and Pothukalu. The locals from these areas, who managed to escape, are deeply shattered by the extent of the devastation.

The rescue teams from the Army, Air Force, Navy, NDRF, police, Fire Force and locals were engaged in the operations till late into Tuesday night and were back early on Wednesday.

The rescue teams are now trying to search the destroyed homes to look for survivors.

Anxious relatives are waiting in Mundakayil in front of some destroyed homes hoping that the rescue team will find some alive.

Rain continues to play spoilsport at the affected spots as the whole area is filled with a slurry, big and small boulders.

Meanwhile, the police have stopped people from travelling to Wayanad without a reason as most of the roads to the affected places are getting crowded hampering the movement of the rescue vehicles.

On Wednesday, the rescue teams are being reinforced with more trained people joining to speed up the rescue operations.

The NDRF and defence rescue teams had been able to transport more than 500 people holed up in certain areas of the affected spots by late Tuesday night

Bailey bridges and ropeways have been set up by the forces thereby speeding up the rescue efforts.

A team of five Kerala Ministers are staying put in Wayanad and coordinating the rescue operations.