The death toll from the catastrophic landslide in Kerala’s Wayanad has climbed to 413, with 152 individuals still unaccounted for as rescue operations continue into their ninth day.
A formidable rescue team of over 1,000 members, including personnel from the Defence Forces, NDRF, SDRF, police, fire services, and volunteers, commenced searches early Wednesday morning.
Efforts focus on the four most severely impacted areas: Churalmala, Velarimala, Mundakayil, and Punchirimadom.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has affirmed that search operations will persist until the Defence forces determine otherwise.
Search operations are focusing on residential areas cut off by the unprecedented natural disaster on 30 July, the worst in Kerala’s history.
Highlighting the disaster’s grim aftermath, CM Vijayan noted on Tuesday that 76 bodies and numerous body parts were discovered in and around Nilambur in Malappuram district, downstream from the Chaliyar River, which originates in Wayanad district.
Rescue teams continued their search along the Chaliyar River on Wednesday.
Currently, more than 100 relief camps, mostly established in educational institutions, are sheltering over 10,300 people from the affected regions.
Initially, efforts focused solely on rescue, relief, and rehabilitation, avoiding political disputes.
However, a blame game has since erupted. Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav described the disaster as man-made, while the Congress-led opposition has demanded transparency and proper utilization of funds flowing into the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund, contrasting with the aftermath of the 2018 floods.
Veteran Congress leader and former Defence Minister A K Antony has called for prioritizing rehabilitation efforts over political point-scoring in the disaster’s wake.
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