Wayanad landslide: Territorial Army, 2 IAF choppers deployed for rescue ops as death toll reaches 41
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Jul 30, 2024, 10:23 AM ISTWayanad Landslide: The army is deploying to Wayanad for rescue operations following a landslide on July 30. The Air Force has dispatched ALH and MI17 helicopters, with two Sarang helicopters leading the initial rescue efforts.
Wayanad, hit by a devastating landslide, will receive military assistance for rescue efforts. The Air Force has launched ALH and MI17 helicopters, with two Sarang helicopters spearheading the initial response. The rescue team, including seasoned Group Captain Prashant, who previously led flood relief operations, will establish a base at the SKMJ School ground in Kalpetta. The Army's primary focus will be on providing aid, including airlifts, to the severely affected areas of Mundakkai and Chooral Mala in Wayanad.
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In response to the critical situation in Wayanad, the Territorial Army's 122 Battalion from Kozhikode is dispatching a 50-member company to the area. Additionally, two teams from the Kannur Cantonment have already been deployed to Wayanad. To further augment rescue efforts, a 190-member Army team has been mobilized, with 138 personnel already on the ground. Moreover, an NDRF team is currently operational in the area, with two more teams en route. Two Defense Security Teams have also been deployed to support the rescue operations.
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Union Minister George Kurien told Asianet News that more units of the Army, Air Force and Navy will be deployed to Wayanad for rescue operations. The Union Minister also stated that instructions have been given from the Prime Minister's Office to prepare necessary systems for rescue operations in Wayanad.
A series of three devastating landslides struck the area in quick succession between 2 am and 6 am, resulting in widespread destruction. The town of Chooralmala in Wayanad was severely affected, with a significant portion of the town, including shops and vehicles, being completely swept away by the massive landslides.
According to the district administration, 41 fatalities have been confirmed, but authorities suspect that the actual death toll may be significantly higher due to the inaccessibility of a substantial portion of the affected area. Meanwhile, in Attamala, villagers have recovered six bodies from the river, which they believe may have been swept away from Mundakkai. The river, normally eight meters wide, has transformed into a raging torrent, according to eyewitnesses.
In the Pothukallu panchayath area, 11 dead bodies have been retrieved from the River Chaliyar, which has reached dangerously high water levels. The river's tributaries flow from the Meppadi slopes, where catastrophic landslides have occurred, causing a massive amount of water and slush to flow into the river, resulting in an alarming surge. Six dead bodies were retrieved at Attamala few kilometres away from Chooralmala.
In the past 24 hours, the environmentally fragile areas of Meppadi, Vythiri, and Vaduvanchal experienced extremely heavy rainfall. According to data from the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology's weather stations, which track regional weather patterns, numerous locations along the western Ghat region received over 300 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours.
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