Rescue operations in the landslide-affected Chooralmala region of Wayanad have entered their fourth day (on August 2), with the death toll now exceeding 300, as confirmed by Kerala Health Minister Veena George. Despite heavy rains and challenging terrain, 40 rescue teams continue their relentless search efforts.
The rescue teams are operating across six zones: Attamala and Aaranmala, Mundakkai, Punchirimattam, Vellarimala village, GVHSS Vellarimala, and the riverbank. The joint teams comprise personnel from the Army, NDRF, DSG, Coast Guard, Navy, MEG, and local volunteers. A significant focus is on the Chaliyar River, where eight police stations along its 40-km stretch are collaborating with local swimming experts to search for bodies potentially carried downstream. Additional searches are being conducted using a police helicopter.
Kerala Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan announced on Thursday that no more survivors are expected to be found in the villages of Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Attamala. The primary focus is now on recovering bodies. State Revenue Minister K Rajan stated that a drone-based radar from Delhi would arrive on Saturday to aid in locating bodies buried in the mud. Six search dogs are currently assisting, with four more arriving from Tamil Nadu.
The central government has issued a draft notification to declare over 56,800 square kilometers of the Western Ghats, including parts of Wayanad, as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). This notification follows the landslides and aims to prevent further ecological damage.
In a notable rescue, a family of four was found alive near PadavettiKunnu after being isolated by the landslide. Defence sources confirmed their safe evacuation to a nearby relief camp.
Visuals from relief camps, such as the one at Meppadi Higher Secondary School, show organized efforts to provide food and shelter to the affected.
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