Mohanlal announces Rs 3 cr for rehabilitation after visiting landslide-hit Wayanad

Malayalam actor and Lt Col Mohanlal on Saturday visited the landslide-hit Punchiri Mattam, Mundakkai in Wayanad. He was also accompanied by the film director Major Ravi. After visiting the site, Mohanlal announced Rs 3 crore for the rehabilitation of the tragedy-struck region.

Lt Col and actor Mohanlal announced Rs 3 crore aid for the rehabilitation of the landslide-hit Wayanad from his charitable organisation ViswaSanthi Foundation. His announcement came soon after visiting the landslide-hit sites.

Speaking to reporters, Mohanlal said, " The disaster that occurred in Wayanad is one of the biggest disasters India has ever seen. What's lost cannot be recovered. We need to focus on improving our future lives. The incident in Wayanad is very sad. Only those who see it directly can understand the severity of the disaster. Many people lost their loved ones, homes, and properties in just a minute. It's a big deal that everyone is helping, from ordinary people to the army. I am also part of the 122 Infantry Battalion, which was the first to arrive here. We are from Madras TA. Our 140 people made a lot of efforts and were able to rescue many people. I have been part of that battalion for the past 16 years. I came here to see the rescue workers directly, thank them, and pay my respects. We all need to move forward together. We need to make a collective decision to prevent such natural disasters from happening again. Once again, I thank everyone who worked behind this. Building the Bailey bridge itself is a wonder. I believe that God's help is behind this becoming a reality. It can be seen as God's help behind it. There are still many people to be found. We can hope to find them".

"The ViswaSanthi Foundation will provide Rs 3 crore for the rehabilitation of the disaster area. The foundation will provide further financial assistance if needed after assessing the situation. Mohanlal also said that they will take up the renovation of the Vellarimala school," he added.

The actor was conferred the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army in 2009. He earlier contributed Rs 25 lakh to the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund for Wayanad. 

The death toll from the Mundakkai tragedy has surpassed 300. To date, 206 bodies and 134 body parts have been recovered, with DNA samples collected for identification. 206 individuals remain unaccounted for, while 86 people are still receiving treatment in hospitals. Currently, 9,328 people are residing in 91 relief camps across the district.