Wayanad disaster toll reaches 413, search for missing 152 continues

Wayanad, Aug 7 (IANS) The death toll in the devastating landslides in Kerala's Wayanad has reached 413, with 152 people still missing even as the rescue operations entered the ninth day.

The over 1,000-strong rescue team comprising personnel from the Defence forces, NDRF, SDRF, police, fire services and volunteers began searches early on Wednesday morning in the four worst-affected areas in Churalmala, Velarimala, Mundakayil and Punchirimadom.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the search operations will continue till the defence forces take the call.

The present search operations are now taking place in areas where people lived and remained marooned soon after the worst-ever natural disaster took place in the history of Kerala on July 30.

The worst thing that has dawned after the tragedy struck the four villages in the Wayanad district, CM Vijayan on Tuesday pointed out was that 76 bodies and numerous body parts were recovered in and around Nilambur located in Malappuram district from the Chaliyar River, which originates in Wayanad district.

On Wednesday also a team of rescue officials was searching the Chaliyar River.

There are over 100 relief camps mostly set up in various educational institutions in and around the affected areas, where over 10,300 people are presently housed.

Until a few days back, there was no blame game as all focus was on rescue, relief and rehabilitation. But, now a war of words has broken out targeting CM Vijayan. Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav termed it a man-made disaster. The Congress-led opposition has demanded that the money that has started pouring into the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund should be properly utilised, unlike in 2018.

The country’s longest-serving Defence Minister and Congress veteran A.K. Antony gave a clarion call to concentrate on rehabilitation works and not engage in scoring political brownie points in the aftermath of the disaster.