Wayanad landslides: 24 bodies received in various hospitals, 70 injured, says Kerala health minister

Kerala minister Veena George on Tuesday said that 24 bodies have been retrieved following a series of massive landslides that struck the hilly areas in Meppadi in the state’s Wayanad in the early hours of July 30.

“We are trying every possible thing to rescue our people. We have received 24 bodies in different hospitals. Around 70 people are also injured. We have ensured proper treatment of the injured,” Geroge told reporters here today.

She said that teams of NDRF and Civil Defence are present in Wayanad and a team of Navy will also be reaching there soon.

“A bridge in the area has also washed away,” the minister said.

The landslide has affected Meppadi, Mundakkal Town and Chooralmala areas and the state health minister said that the government has rushed rescue personnel, medical equipment and health workers to Vythiri, Mananthawadi, Kalpetta and Meppadi government hospitals.

A 250-member team comprising the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence, and NDRF are actively engaged in rescue operations and more NDRF teams were on their way to the disaster site.

Kerala Chief Minister’s office said that a control room has been established to provide immediate relief and rescue assistance following the landslide at Chooralmala in Wayanad.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has given directions to coordinate the rescue operations in Wayanad promptly following the devastating landslide. He announced that the entire government machinery is actively involved in the efforts, with ministers overseeing and coordinating the operations.

A delegation of five ministers- Revenue Minister K Rajan, Public Works Minister Muhammad Riyaz, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Development Minister O R Kelu, Forest Minister K Saseendran and Ports Minister Kadannapally Ramachandran are being sent to the disaster-hit area, according to the Kerala CMO.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan consoled the loss of lives, “My heart goes out to all those families. I have been told that so far our teams have not been able to reach the landslide site due to heavy rain and that the river has changed its course.”

Kerala State Administration has requisitioned rescue columns of 122 Infantry Battalion (TA) MADRAS in response to the severe landslide in Chooralmala. A team under the Second-in-Command along with a Medical Officer, two JCOs and 40 soldiers have mobilised to be deployed to aid in ongoing rescue efforts as per a statement by the Defence PRO.

The statement said that the Defence Security Centre in Kannur of the Indian Army deployed two flood relief columns from Kannur to Wayanad as requested by the Kerala State Government to rescue personnel stranded in a significant landslide in Vyithiri Taluk in Wayanad district.