Kerala landslides: Search operations continue for 10th day

Wayanad (Kerala), Aug 8 (PTI) Search operations in the landslides-hit areas of this north Kerala district continued for the 10th day with more cadaver dogs being pressed into service on Thursday to look for remains buried deep under the debris that cover the disaster sites.

Using Air Force helicopters to drop special search teams to inaccessible areas along the Chaliyar river and deploying more rescuers, heavy machines and K9 dog squads in the segregated six zones of disaster-hit Chooralmala and Mundakkai continued.

Till Wednesday, the number of persons suspected to be missing in the landslides was around 138 with more than 226 confirmed to be dead.

Besides that, 192 body parts were also recovered from the disaster-hit areas and the Chaliyar river till August 7, according to figures provided by the Wayanad district administration.

As the search operations progress, the state government is also working to ensure temporary rehabilitation of those affected by the landslides.

A cabinet sub-committee, camped out at Wayanad, on Wednesday said that the rehabilitation will be carried out in three phases.

The first phase will involve immediate, but temporary settlement of the victims and survivors to vacant houses, quarters, flats and hostels within the panchayat limits of the affected areas or nearby panchayats.

Additionally, rental houses or flats will be found and provided at government expense, the committee had said.

Buildings and facilities under the government will also be utilised for this purpose, it had said.

The temporary rehabilitation is being carried out to free the schools where relief camps are being run in order to resume classes there, the committee had said.

The second phase would involve the implementation of a temporary transit home system before people are shifted to their permanent homes.

For this, suitable places will be found and accommodations will be prepared using prefab technology, the committee had further said.

The township project with all facilities, as part of the complete rehabilitation, will be implemented in the third phase, it had said.

Amidst the search and rescue operations and phased rehabilitation, the government is also working to restore the identification and other documentation as well as certificates of the people who lost all that in the landslides, the committee had said.