JULY 31, 2024 - The death toll from the devastating landslides in Kerala's Wayanad district has climbed to 143, with hundreds more injured and trapped. The landslides, which have caused extensive damage to homes and roads, uprooted trees, and led to swollen water bodies, have prompted a massive rescue operation.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) reports that fire and rescue personnel, civil defense teams, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local emergency response teams are all actively involved in rescue efforts. Additionally, around 200 Indian Army personnel from the DSC Centre Kannur and the 122 TA Battalion from Kozhikode are on-site, supported by two Air Force helicopters, a Mi-17 and an ALH.
So far, over 120 rescued and injured individuals are receiving treatment in various hospitals in Wayanad. Kerala Health Minister Veena George stated that postmortem examinations of 116 bodies have been completed.
In response to the disaster and ongoing heavy rainfall, all educational institutions in the affected areas will remain closed on Wednesday, July 31. A holiday has been declared in 11 districts: Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange' alert for Wayanad and neighboring districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall on July 31 and August 1, with more heavy rain expected on August 2. The IMD also warned of strong surface winds with speeds reaching 30-40 km/h, gusting to 50 km/h, likely over Kerala on July 30 and 31.
The Odisha Chief Minister's Office (CMO) reported that two people from Odisha are missing in the Wayanad landslides. The state government is in constant communication with Kerala authorities, and two rescued Odia individuals are under treatment while two others remain missing.
Bodies of several victims, swept downstream by the floods, were discovered in the Chaliyar River in Nilambur village, seven kilometers south of Mundakkai. Harrowing videos of the disaster have circulated on social media, revealing the extent of the devastation. Most of the victims worked in tea estates and lived in small homes built along arterial roads or at the base of plantations.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting to coordinate rescue operations. The CM reviewed the efforts and coordination with central government agencies, deployment of disaster response forces, health and safety measures, and the facilities in relief camps. He expressed his condolences for the lives lost and noted that 3,069 people are currently housed in 45 relief camps in Wayanad, with five ministers overseeing relief and rescue operations.
Condolences have poured in from across the country, including from President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and former Wayanad lawmaker Rahul Gandhi. United Nations Resident Coordinator in India, Shombi Sharp, also expressed sorrow over the landslides, stating, we are deeply saddened by the devastating landslides in Wayanad, Kerala. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all affected, in solidarity with first responders undertaking courageous relief efforts.