Over 123 killed in Wayanad landslides

Wayanad/New Delhi: Over 123 people were killed and several injured in a series of deadly landslides that hit Kerala’s Wayanad district in the early hours of Tuesday. While the rescue operations are underway, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared a two-day state mourning for the loss of lives in the calamity.

The death toll is likely to go up further given the number of people missing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased in the landslides.

The landslides that, occurred between 2 am and 4 am, primarily impacted Mundakai and Chooralmala. Rescue efforts are hampered in Mundakai due to blocked roads and unstable terrain. Picturesque hamlets known for their beauty such as Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha are now a picture of gloom after landslides hit the areas, cutting them off from other places. Huge boulders rolled down the hills and hindered the path of rescue workers. Those engaged in rescue work could be seen shifting the dead and the injured into ambulances braving heavy rains. The Army and four National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed on the ground for rescue operations.

A Defence PRO said on Tuesday that a team of 43 personnel, led by the Second-in-Command from the 122 Infantry Battalion (TA) MADRAS, has been mobilised to aid in the ongoing rescue efforts. 

A massive joint rescue operation is being conducted by a total of 250 personnel from Fire and Rescue, Civil Defence, NDRF, and local teams.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that more than 250 people have been evacuated to a safer location and 300 personnel have been deployed for rescue operations.

He said the Prime Minister has been monitoring the situation and has instructed Union Minister George Kurian to visit the incident site and assess the situation in Kerala.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Health Department has opened a control room and has released an emergency contact number in the wake of the landslides and other rain-related disasters.