Wayanad landslides: Rescue operations enter 7th day, death toll at 308

Wayanad (Kerala) [India], August 5 (ANI): The rescue and relief operations in landslide-hit areas of Kerala’s Wayanad entered the seventh consecutive day on Monday.

As per the State Health Ministry, the death toll stands at 308 as of August 2.

220 bodies have been recovered and 180 people are still missing as of Sunday.

A total of 53 camps have been set up in Wayanad as part of the relief operations. As per the latest update, 6759 people were shifted to these camps across the district including 1983 families, 2501 males, 2677 females, 1581 children, and 20 pregnant women.

The government has set up 16 camps in Meppadi and other gram panchayats, this includes 9 shelters and 7 rescue camps. A total of 2514 people have been shifted to these shelters as per the latest data. This included 723 families, 943 males, 972 females, 599 children, and six pregnant women.

Additionally, there are rescue camps at SDMLP school, D-Paul public school at Kalpetta, RCLP school at Chundel, GHS school near Rippon, WMO college at Muttil, Rippon new building, and Arappatta.

The massive landslides hit Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Wayanad on July 30 wreaking mass devastation and loss of lives and property.

Late on Sunday night, the district administration carried out the mass burial of the mortal remains of the unidentified people killed in the landslides. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier directed the district administration to carry out the formalities with interfaith prayers.

Earlier the Chief Minister’s Office informed that night patrolling of the police has been instituted in Chooralmala and Mundakkai areas.

The CMO statement warned action against those trespassing in the houses or areas of the victims at night. No one should enter the houses or areas of these places at night without the permission of the police for rescue operations, the statement added.

Upon the Kerala Government’s request, the Indian Air Force, on August 3, airlifted one ZAWER and four REECO radars from Siachen and Delhi for the search operations.