Wayanad: The death toll from the devastating landslides in Wayanad, Kerala, has risen to 358, according to the latest update by the state government on Saturday.
Rescuers, racing against time, are using deep search radars to locate survivors trapped under the debris of collapsed houses.
The Kerala government had urgently requested the Centre to send advanced search equipment to aid the ongoing rescue operations. In response, one Xaver radar from Northern Command and four Reeco radars from the Tiranga Mountain Rescue Organisation, Delhi, were airlifted to Wayanad on Saturday.
With over 200 people still missing, more than 1,300 rescuers, including private search and rescue specialists and volunteers, have joined forces with the Indian Army, Kerala Police, and emergency service units. These teams are meticulously searching through the destroyed buildings and debris using heavy machinery and sophisticated equipment to find any remaining survivors.
Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, who is also a lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army, visited Wayanad on Saturday in full uniform to oversee the rescue operations. He interacted with rescue officials at the army camp, offering support and encouragement.
The Kerala government has issued comprehensive guidelines for handling the remains of those who perished in the landslides. These include the collection of DNA and dental samples for identification purposes, and the assignment of identification numbers to each body or body part. If bodies cannot be identified after 72 hours, they will be released to the district administration for further action. As part of these guidelines, three unidentified bodies were cremated at the Kalpatta public crematorium on Saturday.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who visited Wayanad on Thursday and Friday, described the landslides as one of the worst tragedies Kerala has ever faced. He pledged to raise the issue with both the Kerala government and the Centre, and announced that the Congress party will build over 100 houses for families affected by the disaster.
In a remarkable rescue effort, six people, including four toddlers, were saved from a remote tribal settlement in Wayanad after an eight-hour operation by Kerala forest department officials. In a separate incident, a family of four was rescued from their house in Mundakkai, one of the worst-hit areas.
Amidst the ongoing rescue efforts, the Centre has issued a draft notification proposing to declare over 56,800 square kilometers of the Western Ghats, including 13 villages in Wayanad, as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). This notification invites suggestions and objections within 60 days and includes a proposal to declare 3.7 square kilometers in Kerala as ecologically sensitive.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in Wayanad for Saturday and Sunday, predicting that the district will experience rain until August 6, potentially complicating the ongoing rescue operations.
The death toll from the devastating landslides in Wayanad, Kerala, has risen to 358, according to the latest update by the state government on Saturday. Rescuers, racing against time, are using deep search radars to locate survivors trapped under the debris of collapsed houses.