Wayanad landslide: CM chairs all-party meeting

Wayanad: On Thursday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired an urgent all-party meeting in Wayanad to address the crisis caused by the landslides that have claimed over 280 lives. The meeting took place at the APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial Hall in the Civil Station.

The landslides struck Mundakkai and Chooralmala early on July 30, leading to considerable devastation. 

Attendees of the meeting included Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, Deputy Leader PK Kunhalikutty, and several State ministers including K Rajan and AK Saseendran, P Prasad, K Krishnankutty, Roshi Augustine, Veena George, Kadannapally Ramachandran, OR Kelu and Muhammad Riyas. High-ranking officials like Chief Secretary V Venu, DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb, district collector VR Megha Sree, and others were also present.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit the landslide-affected regions of Wayanad later today, according to his Office.

Assistant collectors from the Idukki, Palakkad, and Kozhikode districts have been assigned to assist the Wayanad district administration in managing the aftermath of the landslides.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has been holding high-level discussions and operating its control room at full capacity in response to the disaster. KSDMA Member Secretary Sekhar L Kuriakose has updated his team on the current situation, while NDRF Deputy Commandant S Shankar Pandian is coordinating efforts from the KSDMA headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Despite persistent heavy rains, KSDMA and other agencies are working relentlessly to speed up rescue operations and provide relief to those in need. The Indian Coast Guard Disaster Relief Team, working in tandem with the Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, and local authorities, is active in Vellari Village. Coast Guard officials reported that their teams are conducting searches for missing persons and delivering emergency aid.

Earlier, soldiers from the 122 Infantry Battalion of the Territorial Army, based at West Hill Barracks in Calicut, began search and rescue missions through heavily impacted areas from Vellarimala to Attamala. The Indian Army has enhanced its rescue operations by evacuating people and constructing a 100-foot temporary bridge overnight. This bridge will facilitate the movement of heavy equipment and expedite the evacuation of stranded individuals.

Major General VT Mathew, General Officer Commanding for Karnataka and Kerala, stated that the bridge will help transport necessary equipment to the rescue site. He also reported that over 100 bodies have been recovered so far, with more than 500 Army personnel engaged in the rescue efforts. "We have been here supporting the Kerala government and people since July 30. We have recovered 100+ bodies, and the overall body count is much higher. We have also rescued many people," he said.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George noted that genetic samples are being collected from the recovered remains for identification. The Department of Information and Public Relations (PRD) in Wayanad reported that 96 victims have been identified, including 77 men, 67 women, and 22 children. Post-mortem exams have been completed on 166 bodies and 49 body parts, with 75 bodies already returned to families.

The Prime Minister's Office has announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for each victim’s family and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the disaster.

Agencies