Kerala landslide: Death toll mounts to 57, rescue efforts intensify

WAYANAD (KERALA) — At least 57 persons have been killed in massive landslides triggered by heavy rains in Wayanad on Tuesday and hundreds are trapped beneath the debris, sparking fears of mounting fatalities, even as rescue agencies were racing against time to pull out any survivors.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi in Parliament said that over 70 persons were killed in the landslides.

The landslides that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday caught the sleeping villagers off-guard. It quickly turned otherwise picturesque hamlets in the hilly district into a picture of gloom, as the natural tragedy left behind a trail of destruction and despair in the southern state.

Rescue teams comprising the Army, Navy, and NDRF are collectively looking for survivors amid rough weather and multiple agencies are working in tandem to provide critical assistance to those affected.

According to a senior government source, heavy rains triggered a series of massive landslides in hilly areas of Meppadi in the district, sparking apprehensions of a possible increase in fatalities.

According to a Kerala government source, at least 57 persons have been killed. As rescue workers are recovering body parts from the rivers and mud, it is difficult to ascertain the exact number of people killed in the tragedy, the source said.

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It is unclear whether the remains belong to a single person or multiple individuals, the source added.

There are several women and children among the dead.

The bodies of the deceased are being taken to various hospital morgues for identification and autopsy.

Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages were among the areas affected and cut off by the landslides, authorities said.

Rescue teams were working tirelessly to evacuate those stranded, with the Indian Army and Navy joining the efforts. Besides the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the state government has also deployed disaster response teams from the police and the fire force to affected areas.

VIDEO | Wayanad landslide: Latest visuals of the rescue operation that is underway near Meppadi village. Eight lives have been lost after a massive landslide devastated many village in Wayanad of Kerala. Picturesque hamlets known for their beauty until Monday-Mundakkai,… pic.twitter.com/wRDUZcz19h

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 30, 2024

Frantic phone calls made by people desperately pleading for help after being trapped under destroyed houses and piles of debris highlighted the intensity of the deadly landslide.

Television channels aired heart-wrenching scenes and phone conversations of several people crying and pleading to be rescued, as they were either trapped in their houses or had no way to travel due to washed-away bridges and flooded roads.

Several people who were injured in the landslides have been admitted to various hospitals.

Bodies were kept in a row on the floor of a tiny, congested health centre in the Meppadi district, which could otherwise accommodate only a few people, and wailing people were seen desperately searching to find loved ones.

Some people broke down at the shock of seeing the cold and injured bodies of their loved ones, while others heaved a sigh of relief that their kin were not among the deceased.

In a heart-wrenching scene, a man covered in mud was engaged in a desperate battle for survival by clinging on to a huge boulder in gushing flood water, as helpless locals could only watch his ordeal and urged authorities to swiftly rescue him.

Meanwhile, the Kerala government has also sought the assistance of the Defence forces to augment rescue operations. A 43-member team from the 122 Infantry Battalion (TA) MADRAS has been deployed to aid in the efforts.

Reinforcing the rescue efforts, additional columns comprising 200 soldiers, medical teams, and equipment from the Defence Security Corps (DSC) Centre, Kannur, and the Territorial Army from Kozhikode have been pressed into service.

In a bid to rapidly evacuate stranded persons, two Indian Air Force helicopters from Air Force Station Sulur have been dispatched to the affected area.

Furthermore, the Navy’s River Crossing Team from the Ezhimala Naval Academy, Kannur, is set to join the rescue efforts, as per a request made by the Kerala government.

The multi-pronged rescue operation is underway to provide critical assistance to those affected by the landslides in Wayanad.

Kerala Chief Minister Vijayan’s OSD S Karthikeyan was tasked with coordinating the rescue operations, the CM’s office said in a statement.

Principal Director of Local Self-Government Department V Sambasiva Rao has been appointed as Special Officer in this regard, the statement said, adding that he will work from Wayanad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the incident and said he spoke to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and assured all possible help from the Centre to the state.

“Distressed by the landslides in parts of Wayanad. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones and prayers with those injured.

“Rescue ops are currently underway to assist all those affected. Spoke to Kerala CM Shri @pinarayivijayan and also assured all possible help from the Centre in the wake of the prevailing situation there,” Modi said in a post on social media platform ‘X’.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to Chief Minister Vijayan and took stock of the situation.

Shah also assured Vijayan of all possible help from the central government to deal with the situation, an official said.

The landslides left a trail of destruction, with several houses destroyed, water bodies swollen, and trees uprooted, hampering rescue operations.