Wayanad landslides: CPI-M MLAs in Kerala to donate one month’s salary to CM’s Distress Relief Fund

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], August 3 (ANI): MLAs of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala will donate one month’s salary- Rs 50,000- as a contribution to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund for the affected in Wayanad landslides.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan contributed Rs 1 lakh to the CMDRF and his wife TK Kamala contributed Rs 33,000, as per the CM’s office.

Earlier, CPI-M state secretary MV Govindan said that the party’s Kerala unit contributed Rs 25 lakh to the relief fund. He added that the party’s Tripura and Tamil Nadu units contributed Rs 10 lakh each.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala announced that he will contribute his one month’s salary to the CM’s Distress Relief Fund for Wayanad.

Several political leaders, actors and businesses contributed to the relief fund by responding to the CM’s appeal for contributions. Through campaign drives, donations are pouring in from different quarters to aid the affected areas.

The chief minister earlier said that 215 bodies were recovered so far as rescue operations are in the final phase in landslides-hit Wayanad. 206 people are still missing and 83 are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. He said that a total of 10,042 people were shifted to shelter camps.

The death toll in the massive landslides that occurred on July 30 in Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Wayanad stands at 308 as of Friday, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said.

As per the latest update, 215 bodies and 143 body parts were recovered including 98 males, 87 females and 30 children. The post-mortem procedures were completed on 212 bodies and 140 body parts and 148 bodies were identified by relatives so far.

According to the hospital data, 82 people are undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. A total of 504 people were brought to hospitals from the disaster area. 205 people have been discharged so far.

The relief teams began the search operations along with the dog squad at 7 am today. The relief columns of the Indian Army are also present at the spot and all activities are coordinated by North Kerala IGP.