Wayanad Landslides Disaster: The death toll in the landslide following heavy rains in Wayanad, Kerala has risen to 184. 130 people are in hospital, while more than 170 people are still missing. The landslides occurred in Mundakkai, Choorlamalla, Attamala and Noolpuzha villages between 2 am and 4 am on Monday night. Houses, bridges, roads and vehicles were swept away.
Teams of Army, Air Force, NDRF, SDRF, Police and Dog Squad are engaged in rescue operations. By late night, 1 thousand people were rescued and 3 thousand people were sent to rehab centres. Apart from Wayanad, the Meteorological Department has issued an alert of heavy rain in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod districts. This may cause problems in rescue operations today.
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Home Minister Amit Shah told the Parliament on Wednesday that the Kerala government was alerted on 23-24 July itself. If the government had evacuated people in time, so much damage would not have happened.
Wayanad Landslides Disaster: Today’s updates
Army rescues 19 tourists from two resorts
The Army on Wednesday rescued 19 tourists stranded at Ela Resort and Vana Rani Resort outside Mundakkai village. They were stranded there since the incident. According to Defense PRO, soldiers of 122 Infantry Battalion (TA) Madras created a human bridge with the help of ropes to evacuate all the civilians to Choorlamala safely.
Schools and colleges closed, university exams postponed
After the accident, two days of state mourning has been declared in the state. Schools and colleges have been declared closed on July 30 in 12 districts. Kerala University has postponed all exams scheduled for July 30 and 31. New dates will be announced later.
Health Minister going to Wayanad injured in an accident
Kerala Health Minister Veena George, who was going to Wayanad to take stock of the landslide incident, was injured in a road accident on Wednesday (31 July) at around 7.30 am. She has been admitted to the Medical College of Manjeri in Malappuram. The incident happened while trying to save a scooter rider.
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi cancel Wayanad tour
Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have canceled their Wayanad tour due to bad weather and security reasons. Rahul along with Congress MPs today observed two minutes silence in the Central Hall of Parliament for those who lost their lives in Wayanad.
Photos of rescue operation
Developments in last 24 hours in 4 points
1- Mundakkai village in Wayanad has been the worst affected by the landslide. The bridge connecting Choorlamala to Mundakkai has been washed away, making it difficult to reach the area. About 250 people are reported to be stranded in Mundakkai. Many houses have been washed away here, in which 65 families lived. 35 employees of a nearby tea estate are also missing.
2- District Panchayat President Samshad Maraikkar said that Mundakkai is not accessible by road. Mobile network is also down. There is a lot of damage in Choorlamala village as well. Rescue operations are going on here. Many houses have been washed away here. Many people have been rescued, including two foreign nationals. They were staying in a homestay. Here the rescue team is checking each house.
3- After the Wayanad landslide, the health department has set up a control room. Also, two helpline numbers 8086010833 and 9656938689 have been issued. The Kerala Health Minister’s Office has said that a temporary hospital has been set up in a mosque and madrasa to treat the injured in Choorlamalla, Wayanad.
4- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the Kerala government of all possible help from the Centre. He also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased. The injured will be given Rs 50,000. Meanwhile, opposition leader in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has appealed to the government to provide all possible help in the Wayanad incident.
5 years ago also 17 people died due to landslide
Landslide has occurred in 4 villages of Wayanad – Mundakkai, Choorlamala, Attamala and Noolpuzha. 5 years ago in 2019 also, due to heavy rains, landslides occurred in these villages, in which 17 people died. 5 people are still missing. 52 houses were destroyed.
What is the reason for the landslide in Wayanad
Wayanad is in the North-East of Kerala. This is the only plateau area of Kerala. That is, an area with high and low mounds of soil, stones and trees and plants growing on it. According to the 2021 report of the Geological Survey of India, 43% of Kerala is affected by landslides. 51% of the land in Wayanad is hilly slopes. That is, the possibility of landslides remains very high.
The Wayanad plateau is situated in the Western Ghats at an altitude of 700 to 2100 meters. The Arabian Sea branch of the monsoon hits the Western Ghats of the country and rises up, so this area receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. Wayanad has the Kabini River. Its tributary Mananthavady originates from the ‘Thondaramudi’ peak. Flooding in this river due to landslides has caused heavy damage.
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