Kerala: Search operations to continue in isolated areas of landslide-hit Wayanad today
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Aug 6, 2024, 9:48 AM ISTRescue efforts in Wayanad's Mepadi panchayat will continue on August 6, eight days after devastating landslides. A joint team of military, disaster response, police, and forest officials will search for missing persons, focusing on the remote Soochippara-Pothukallu area with a specialized 12-member task force.
Wayanad: Rescue efforts will continue in Wayanad's Mepadi panchayat on Tuesday (Aug 6), eight days after two landslides left several dead and injured. A combined team of military personnel, disaster response forces, police, canine units, forest officials, and naval experts will recommence their search on Tuesday. A targeted operation will focus on the remote area between Soochippara and Pothukallu, with a specialized 12-member task force from the army and forest department dedicated to this mission.
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In the event of discovering deceased individuals in the affected regions, authorities plan to transport the bodies via air, officials announced. According to official data, approximately 180 persons remain unaccounted for in the Mundakai and Chooralmala areas. Revenue Minister K Rajan informed the media that a comprehensive list of missing individuals will be compiled with assistance from local authorities and ASHA workers. A total of 1,174 personnel from various forces, along with 913 volunteers and local residents, participated in the search operation across six zones in the landslide-affected areas.
The devastating Mundakkai landslide has claimed 402 lives, with 180 of the recovered bodies being fragmented remains found in the mud and Chaliyar River. However, official records put the death toll at 222. Furthermore, 180 individuals are yet to be found.
The Kerala government has pledged to roll out a comprehensive rehabilitation program for the victims of the Wayanad landslide, where rescue efforts and relief operations are still underway. The plan includes acquiring land, building new homes, and establishing necessary infrastructure to support the affected communities. Finance Minister K N Balagopal announced that the government has received offers of assistance from around the world, following his visit to the devastated Chooralmala region.
Wayanad landslide: Death toll mounts to 402; More unidentified bodies to be cremated today
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