Wayanad: Landslide toll up at 308 as search, and rescue operations enter fifth day
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: The death toll in the massive landslide in the Wayanad district of Kerala, which buried at least three villages under mud and debris because of extremely heavy rains on July 30, mounted to 308 as of Friday as the ongoing search and rescue operations picked pace on the fifth day of the natural disaster.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the toll was reported mainly from two villages—Chooralmala and Mundakkai—as various government agencies tried to locate many people still feared trapped in the debris, the media reported on Friday.
On Saturday morning, as the rains paused, the relief teams intensified the search operations along with the dog squad. The Indian Army’s relief columns also reached the affected areas as the North Kerala Inspector-General of Police (IGP) coordinated these efforts.
Lieutenant Colonel Vikas Rana said the search operations in the six earmarked zones will continue until required.
“We have divided different zones and teams have left for the zones, scientists and sniffer dogs also accompanied them. Locals are supporting us in the search and rescue operations,” he was quoted as saying.
The Army engineers, who already constructed one bridge, are constructing another in the Punchirimattom area to make way for Hitachi machines for the search and rescue operation.
Air Marshal B Manikantan, AOC-in-C, and Brigadier Salil, Station Commander, Pangode Military Station, conducted an aerial survey on Saturday of affected regions to assess the situation.
Following the Kerala government’s request, one Xaver Radar (from Northern Command) and Four Reeco Radars (from Tiranga Mountain Rescue Org, Delhi) along with operators will be airlifted from Delhi on Saturday in an IAF aircraft, according to a defense ministry spokesperson, the reports said.
Kerala Minister PA Mohammed Riyas on Friday said that 210 bodies and 134 body parts were recovered so far. He said that 146 bodies were identified by relatives and post-mortem procedures of 207 bodies and 137 body parts were completed till Friday. Also, 84 people are undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts while 187 have been discharged so far.
Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that six lives were saved from a remote tribal settlement after an 8-hour operation by forest officials in landslide-hit Wayanad.
