Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Minister for Home Affairs, MB Rajesh, has confirmed the tragic loss of 44 lives resulting from landslides that struck the Meppadi area of Wayanad in the early hours of Tuesday.
Minister Rajesh reported that rescue efforts have been initiated, with 250 individuals successfully evacuated and relocated to temporary shelters. He emphasized that the rescue operations are being conducted with utmost urgency and efficiency.
"To date, 44 individuals have succumbed to the disaster. The full extent of this tragedy is yet to be fully realized. We are coordinating rescue operations across various agencies on a war-like scale. Assistance from the Indian Army is on its way to the affected region," Minister Rajesh stated during a press conference with ANI.
He further mentioned that the Chief Minister is closely overseeing these operations and has dispatched a ministerial team to Wayanad. An IAS officer has been stationed in Wayand to coordinate the rescue efforts. So far, 250 individuals have been rescued and accommodated in temporary shelters. Efforts are also underway to airlift those who are stranded. The government is fully committed to the rescue and relief operations, with all necessary resources being mobilized.
Health Minister Veena George previously announced that teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Civil Defense, and the Indian Navy are currently present in Wayanad, with a naval team on its way to the disaster zone.
"We are exploring every possible avenue to save our citizens. We have received 24 bodies from various hospitals. Additionally, approximately 70 individuals are injured, and we have ensured they receive appropriate medical care. Teams from the NDRF and Civil Defense are stationed there, with the naval team expected to arrive shortly. A bridge in the vicinity has been washed away, complicating rescue efforts," Minister George stated.
The landslide has impacted the Meppadi, Mundakkal Town, and Chooralmala areas, and the state health minister has assured that the government has mobilized rescue personnel, medical equipment, and health workers to the affected hospitals in Vythiri, Mananthavady, Kalpetta, and Meppadi.
The Kerala Chief Minister's office has established a control room to facilitate immediate relief and rescue assistance following the landslide at Chooralmala in Wayanad.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has issued directives to expedite rescue operations in Wayanad. He has emphasized that the entire government apparatus is actively engaged in these efforts, with ministers playing a pivotal role in overseeing and coordinating the rescue missions.
