The Chaliyar River, once a vital lifeline for residents across Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode in Kerala, has become a tragic symbol of destruction following the catastrophic landslides on July 30. The river, which has sustained generations with its 169-km stretch, now carries the sorrow of those lost to the disaster, as its once calm waters have turned deadly.
Formed by the confluence of two major tributaries in the Western Ghats, the Chaliyar River has been the grim bearer of bodies from the landslide. Rescue efforts by agencies such as the Navy, police, Fire and Rescue teams, and the NDRF, along with local residents, have recovered three more bodies and 13 body parts, bringing the total to 73 bodies and 132 body parts. Officials reported that the remains include 37 men, 29 women, 3 boys, and 4 girls, with autopsies completed on 198 bodies and parts. Out of these, 195 have been transported to Wayanad for further procedures, and three have been claimed by relatives.
The Kerala government has pledged to continue search operations along the 40-km stretch of the Chaliyar River. In an intensified rescue effort, hundreds of personnel from various forces, including the NDRF, K-9 Dog Squad, Army, Special Operation Group, Madras Engineering Group, Police, Fire Force, Forest Department, Navy, and Coast Guard, have been deployed in Wayanad’s disaster-struck areas.
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