Wayanad landslides: 357 dead, over 200 still missing

INDIA-DISASTER-LANDSLIDE
This handout photograph taken on August 1, 2024 and released by Humane Society International, India, shows an aerial view of the tea plantations after landslides in Wayanad. Photo: Hemanth Byatroy / Humane Society International, India / AFP

Wayanad: Despite a challenging five-day search operation by various forces, over 200 people remain untraced after a series of massive landslides struck Wayanad in the early hours of Tuesday. The death toll touched 357, with 18 more bodies recovered on Saturday, including 16 from the Chaliyar River. Search teams will resume their efforts on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, two rescue workers who ventured deep into the forest near the Mundakkai region to search for and recover bodies became stranded near the Soochipara waterfalls. They were airlifted to safety by an Indian Air Force helicopter.

Relief camps – 93
In relief camps - 10,042
Rescue personnel deployed - 1,419

Free ration
Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil said the people at Mundakkai and Chooralmala will receive the August month ration for free. Currently, the ration is being provided free of charge to priority categories and at a fair price to non-priority categories. However, in the disaster-struck region, the ration will be provided free of cost to all categories, the minister added.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • 1 month ago

    The burial of 16 unidentified victims completed

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  • 1 month ago

    The government employees' associations have informed the Chief Minister of their willingness to contribute five days' salary to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to aid the Wayanad disaster victims. They have also requested the option to contribute individually and in instalments.

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  • 1 month ago

    Since the landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala, the District Emergency Operations Centre at Wayanad Collectorate has received over 843 calls.

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  • 1 month ago

    Each grave is marked with the respective DNA sample number

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  • 1 month ago

    All faith prayers completed. Burial procedures commence at Puthumala

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  • 1 month ago
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  • 1 month ago

    First batch of ambulances with dead bodies reached Puthumala

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  • 1 month ago

    31 unidentified bodies will be buried initially 

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  • 1 month ago

    Next 15 ambulances will leave Meppadi soon

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  • 1 month ago

    Wayanad landslides: 16 ambulances leave Meppadi for Puthumala burial ground

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Township to rehabilitate survivors
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that a township will be established in a secure area to rehabilitate those displaced by the catastrophic landslide. The CM said various offers have come from the global community to provide land and construct houses. A 'Help for Wayanad' cell has been formed under Joint Land Revenue Commissioner A Geetha IAS to coordinate these offers. "The government plans a comprehensive rehabilitation process for the survivors, aiming for swift completion. A new, safer area will be identified for constructing a township. The Education Minister will visit Wayanad to ensure that children's education is not disrupted," he added.

INDIA-DISASTER-LANDSLIDE
This handout photograph taken on August 1, 2024 and released by Humane Society International, India, shows an aerial view of the tea plantations after landslides in Wayanad. Photo: Hemanth Byatroy / Humane Society International, India / AFP

Swift disbursal of claim amount to victims
The finance ministry on Saturday asked public sector insurance companies including Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to speedily disburse the claim amount to landslide victims and their families in Wayanad.

INDIA-DISASTER-LANDSLIDE
This handout photograph taken on August 1, 2024 and released by Humane Society International, India, shows an aerial view of the tea plantations after landslides in Wayanad. Photo: Hemanth Byatroy / Humane Society International, India / AFP
Relief personnel carry the body of a victim, during a search and rescue operation at Mundakkai. Photo: AFP
Do not ignore official instructions to move to relief camps or other safe areas. A house damaged in the landslide in Mundakkai, Wayanad. Photo: Special arrangement
wayanad landslide
A house in Punchirimattam that was damaged in the landslides. Photo: Manorama

The insurance companies have initiated efforts to reach out to their policyholders through various channels (local newspapers, social media, company websites, sms, etc) to provide the contact details for assistance in the districts of Wayanad, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Thrissur, where a significant number of claims are being reported, the finance ministry said in a post on X.

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