Wayanad landslides: Over 84 bodies recovered as rescue operations underway

Wayanad(Kerala): The Kerala government has declared official mourning in the state on Tuesday and Wednesday after 84 people lost their lives in a landslide incident in Wayanad.Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a statewide mourning for two days- today and tomorrow after at least 70 people lost their lives in a landslide incident in Wayanad.

Kerala Chief Secretary V Venu said that over 84 bodies were recovered as rescue operations continued in the landslide-hit regions in Kerala’s Wayanad on Tuesday.

According to the State Revenue Minister’s office, around 116 people were injured and undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the district.

Union Minister of State George Kurian is heading to Wayanad to lead relief and rescue operations. On the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the minister will coordinate with National Disaster Relief Force personnel, paramilitary forces, Kerala Government officials and other agencies in the operation.

Kerala Forest Minister Saseendran reached the affected area to assess the damage and coordinate immediate response measures. State Minister Ramachandran Kadannappalli is expected to join the efforts on the ground.

In addition, a delegation of state ministers of Revenue, Public Works, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Departments are travelling by air from Thiruvananthapuram and are expected to reach the site soon, as per the Kerala chief minister’s office.

An Indian Navy team from the Ezhimala Naval Base in Kannur is being sent to the district in Kerala to assist in the rescue operations at Chooralmala, which was hit by landslides on Tuesday morning, following torrential rains.

The Navy team is being dispatched, at the request of Chief Minister Pinrayi Vijayan, who sought the help of the Navy’s River Crossing team, according to the Chief Minister’s Office. The Army and Air Force have also been mobilised for the rescue operations in the area, which have been hampered as a main bridge has collapsed in the town of Chooralmala.

Around 200 Indian Army personnel from DSC Centre Kannur and 122 TA Battalion from Kozhikode were dispatched to the site. 122 TA battalion has now arrived at the incident site and is assisting in relief operations. A team of 30 specialist swimmers from the Indian Navy has been deployed. Two helicopters from Air Force station Sulur have also been despatched, as per the Defence officials.

NDRF teams are also part of the relief operations, S Shankar Pandian, Deputy Commandant, NDRF said, “Our teams are located at various locations in Wayanad. Even in Kozhikode, a landslide was suspected, NDRF team is deployed there. Already 3 teams of NDRF are in Wayanad. We are doing our best to carry out rescue efforts. We are facing difficulty in reaching interior parts in the landslide-affected area.”

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for eight districts in the state for heavy rainfall. A red alert has been issued for the Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod districts. An orange alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts for today. (ANI)