Wayanad: Search operations to locate missing individuals in the aftermath of the severe landslides that struck Wayanad district on July 30 will resume on Sunday. The operations, which had been paused on Friday afternoon due to the area's temporary management by the Special Protection Group (SPG) in preparation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, will restart at 8 am.

Survivors, victims' relatives, and volunteers interested in participating in the search must register before 9 am on Sunday. The state cabinet sub-committee announced that the Army will assist by combing the downstream areas of the Chaliyar River.

Prime Minister Modi visited Wayanad earlier on Saturday, conducting an aerial survey and walking through the devastated Chooralmala region to witness the damage firsthand. He also visited a relief camp and interacted with survivors, including children who lost their families in the disaster. Modi assured that the Central government would "spare no effort" in aiding Kerala’s relief and rehabilitation efforts, describing the tragedy as "nature displaying its furious form."

The landslides have claimed 229 lives, with over 130 individuals still missing, according to the state government. To aid the search, relatives, local representatives, and volunteers are being incorporated into the teams to help rescue workers pinpoint key areas. Excavators and other necessary equipment, along with hundreds of rescue workers, are in place for the operation.

The search efforts are organized into six zones across the Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that involving relatives in the search represents a "last-ditch effort" to locate those still missing after exhausting all other options.(Agencies)