Wayanad: Union Minister Suresh Gopi visited the landslide-affected areas of Wayanad on Sunday as the death toll exceeded 350, with at least 200 people still missing. He said that the legal aspects to declare the landslide as a national disaster will be evaluated.
Arriving at Punchiri Mattam in Mundakkai, the origin point of the landslide, on Sunday morning, he assessed the situation and received updates on the ongoing search operations from officials. Gopi is also slated to visit the relief camps in Wayanad and the WIMS Hospital, where survivors are receiving treatment.
He also held discussions with Public Works and Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas. "To declare the landslide as a national disaster, its legal aspects must first be evaluated. Currently, the primary focus is on the mental health and rehabilitation of the survivors,” Gopi said. He added that the Union government is assessing the situation. “If more force is required for the search operation, Kerala government has to request it to the Centre.”
Earlier, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have also called for the landslide to be declared a national disaster.