Wayanad: On Tuesday, the eighth day of rescue operations in the four villages in Kerala’s Wayanad district devastated by landslides began, with 402 people confirmed dead and another 170 people still unaccounted for.
Early in the morning, the more than 1,200-person rescue team—which included members of the NDRF, SDRF, police, fire department, and all branches of the armed forces—started searching the four most severely damaged districts: Churalmala, Velarimala, Mundakayil, and Punchirimadom.
Several deaths and severed body parts have been found in the Chaliyar River over the past few days, prompting special teams to search the area.
All these body components have been sent for DNA testing.
Over 10,300 people have been accommodated in more than 100 relief camps, most of which were established in different educational institutions in and around the impacted districts.
The State Revenue Minister stated on Tuesday that in addition to identifying closed residences and providing information about the number of resorts in the area, the Local Self Government department has now been requested to provide a list of government buildings.
“The State Education Minister V. Sivankutty is reaching here and we will soon decide on how the educational needs will go ahead. The standard operating procedures will be in place. At the moment most of these relief camps operate in educational institutions. Once we get the list from the LSG department, we will move the people to resorts, closed homes and such places,” said Rajan.
“We assure that none of the people in the affected places will be left uncared. The weekly cabinet meeting will be held online on Wednesday, where more decisions regarding rehabilitation will be made, and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will announce it,” added Rajan.
The rescue efforts will continue until the Army decides, even as they enter the eighth day.
In the meantime, contributions to the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund are flooding in, and it has been decided that every state government employee will contribute a five-day salary.
Photo: IANS
