Amid ongoing rescue operations in Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Punchirimala areas, a thermal imaging radar search has detected signs of life. It is possible that there are people trapped under the debris.
KALPETTA: A key mission is being carried out in landslide-ravaged Wayanad on the fourth day of the disaster. Amid ongoing rescue operations in Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Punchirimala areas, a thermal imaging radar search has detected signs of life. This search, conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies, followed the evacuation of people from the area.
The radar search was initially conducted in Punchirimala and subsequently extended to Mundakkai. In a major breakthrough, signs of life were detected from a building in Mundakkai, prompting the NDRF to conduct a thorough search. It is possible that there are people trapped under the debris, though the signals could also be from other living beings.
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The building, where the signal was detected is partially damaged, and the search is being conducted using ropes and other equipment. The operation is being carried out in six zones, and 206 people are still missing. The death toll has risen to 339.
Meanwhile, the Kerala government has declared the Meppadi Gram Panchayat, which includes the villages of Kottapadi, Vellarimala, and Thrikkaipatta in the Vythiri Taluk, as a disaster-affected area. The order was issued by Tinu Biswal, Kerala State Disaster Relief Commissioner and Principal Secretary. Mundakkai and Chooralmala, which were entirely devastated in the landslide, are located within the Meppadi Gram Panchayat.