Wayanad: The second phase of the extensive search operation in the landslide-affected areas of Wayanad has been temporarily suspended due to adverse weather conditions. Participation of survivors was also ensured in today's search, similar to the operation carried out on Friday. The massive search was held in six zones including Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Punchirimattam and the village office premises. During the special search drive at Kanthanpara, two body parts were recovered from the river. A 30-member team of search personnel was deployed in the risky terrains of Soochippara and Kanthanpara.
Besides the police and fire force personnel, volunteers of various service and youth outfits, survivors of the landslides and kin of the victims also became part of the search operations.
Hundreds of civil volunteers including women were seen marching towards the mountain regions crossing the Bailey bridge, constructed by the Army recently, here in the morning.
Only those who registered before 9 am on Sunday were allowed to join as volunteers in the search. According to the state government, the landslides killed 229 people, while over 130 are still missing.
The relatives and survivors from the relief camps along with locals were included in the search team to assist the rescue workers in identifying the places. The government has arranged excavators and other equipments along with hundreds of rescue workers to take part in the operation. Cadaver dogs were also taken to the spot to trace the spots where human remains are trapped under the debris.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that the relatives are being made part of the search operations as a "last ditch effort" to find people who are still missing as all other possible means have been exhausted.
Meanwhile, the special search drive in downstream of Chaliyar River will resume on Monday. The search operations took a break on Friday afternoon as the area was handed over to the SPG in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the disaster-hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala regions of the northern hilly district of Kerala.
On Saturday, Modi visited the landslides-hit Wayanad district and assured that the Central government will "spare no effort" in helping Kerala in relief and rehabilitation while describing the tragedy as "nature displaying its furious form."
The Prime Minister, who arrived in the hill district by helicopter from Kannur airport, conducted an aerial survey, walked through the disaster-stricken Chooralmala to get a first-hand view of the destruction caused by the July 30 landslides, visited one of the relief camps and interacted with survivors, including two children who lost their loved ones in the tragedy. After the review meeting, he assured that the central government would stand by the Kerala government in all relief and rehabilitation efforts for the landslide survivors.
