At least 43 bodies have been recovered after a massive landslide triggered by monsoon rains swept away dozens of tea estate workers in southwestern India, police said Sunday.

The landslide in Idukki district, around 250 kilometers from Kerala state's capital Thiruvananthapuram, occurred Friday but the ongoing search and rescue efforts have been hampered by torrential downpours.

The toll rose to 43 on Sunday afternoon, Idukki district's police chief, R. Karuppasamy, told AFP.

About 26 of the bodies were recovered on Friday night, a police official said earlier Sunday. 

Local media reported that some 78 people were believed to live in the area, with many still missing.

AFP