Kalpetta: Concluding their ten-day-long rescue efforts in Wayanad, where they had sweated through the landslide-hit, slushy, tragic terrain, the 500-strong Indian Armed Forces finally wrapped up their mission on Thursday. Higher officials of the army have informed that the remaining rescue activities would be handed over to the NDRF and state machinery.

Only those personnel assigned with the task of maintaining the Bailey bridge and conducting search operations using helicopters would remain in Wayanad, the officials said. As of now, the 500 members of the army, who came from the battalions in Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Bengaluru, will return to their original bases.

The departing team was given an emotional farewell by the state government and district administration on Thursday in Wayanad. Ministers PA Muhammad Riyas and AK Saseendran participated in the event as representatives of the government. Heads of different squads of the army were felicitated during the function.

The army officials expressed their gratitude towards the government and the common people for the support given to them during their arduous task. The ministers also expressed their deep gratitude for the service rendered by the army during the rescue mission.

From Thursday onwards, only Fire and Rescue, NDRF, SDRF, and state police will be in Wayanad to lead the rescue mission on the ground.