The death toll from Tuesday’s catastrophic landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad district surpassed 300 mark on Friday, with rescuers racing against time to find survivors trapped in fallen buildings and under debris. So far, 308 people have died in landslides caused by severe rainfall in Wayanad’s hilly areas.
Rescue operations underway on Day 4
Rescue operations, which have reached their fourth day, will be expanded to incorporate a drone-based radar to locate survivors.
Over 200 people were injured as rescue efforts were hampered by a variety of challenges, including treacherous terrain caused by destroyed roads and bridges, as well as a lack of equipment and heavy equipment, making it difficult for emergency personnel to clear mud and uprooted trees that had fallen on houses and other structures.
Also read: Heavy rainfall lashes parts of India; 32 people die in 7 states
Joint team of Army, Navy, Coast Guard to conduct searches
A joint team of the Indian Army, NDRF, Coast Guard, and Indian Navy will conduct searches in the impacted areas. Each team will include three locals and one forest department employee.
Forty rescue teams will divide the search areas into six zones to carry out the rescue operations. The first zone includes Attamala and Aaranmala. The second zone is Mundakkai, the third zone is Punjirimattam, the fourth zone is Vellarmala Village Road, the fifth zone is GVHSS Vellarmala, and the sixth zone is downstream of the Chaliyar.
Also read: Wayanad landslides: 256 die, over 200 injured; Army rescues 1,000
The searches will be conducted by police personnel from eight police stations surrounding the river, as well as local swimming specialists. A helicopter will be used to perform a parallel search.
As many as 25 ambulances would traverse the Bailey Bridge, built by the Indian Army, in record time to Mundakkai after it collapsed owing to landslides. A drone-based radar from Delhi will arrive Saturday to look for survivors.
Four more dogs from Tamil Nadu to join rescue operations
Four more dogs from Tamil Nadu will be transported to Wayanad today to join the six other canines currently involved in the rescue operations.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanks Vadra to discuss relief efforts
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who came in Wayanad to watch rescue operations, will meet with party leaders on Friday to discuss relief efforts. They will also meet with a delegation from the Meppadi Gram Panchayat and hear a district administration briefing.
The Gandhi siblings met with the landslide victims on Thursday and would visit the forest offices in Mundakkai and Chooralmala today. The landslides caused significant damage in both of these locations.
