Search and rescue operations in Kerala’s Wayanad have entered their sixth day on Sunday, as several people remain feared trapped in the debris following a series of landslides in Chooralmala and Mundakkai.
The death toll from the massive landslides that occurred on July 30 in Chooralmala and Mundakkai stands at 308 as of Friday, according to Kerala Health Minister Veena George.
As per the latest update, 215 bodies and 143 body parts have been recovered, including 98 males, 87 females, and 30 children. Post-mortem procedures have been completed on 212 bodies and 140 body parts, with 148 bodies identified by relatives so far.
Wayanad District Collector Meghashree provided details about the rescue operation, stating that over 1,300 personnel have been deployed for today’s efforts. “The rescue operation is in full swing. Today, more than 1,300 forces are deployed, and volunteers are also involved. Yesterday, volunteers who went for the rescue operation got stranded; today we are taking precautions to prevent this,” Meghashree told ANI.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Chief Minister’s Office has announced that night patrols by police have been instituted in Chooralmala and Mundakkai, the areas affected by the landslides. Action will be taken against those trespassing in the houses or areas of the victims at night. The statement emphasized that no one should enter these areas at night without police permission for rescue operations.
On Saturday, the Indian Air Force airlifted one ZAWER and four REECO radars from Siachen and Delhi to expedite the search operations in the landslide-affected areas of Wayanad.
Additionally, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Indian Army, and Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully rescued three personnel stranded at Soochipara Waterfalls, located in the landslide-hit Wayanad district.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed gratitude to the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday for contributing Rs 5 crore towards the relief efforts in landslide-hit Wayanad, which has claimed more than 300 lives in the state.
