Rescue efforts in Wayanad’s Mepadi panchayat are set to continue on Tuesday, eight days after two landslides caused significant fatalities and injuries. A joint team comprising military personnel, disaster response forces, police, canine units, forest officials, and naval experts will focus on a remote area between Soochippara and Pothukallu. A specialized 12-member task force from the army and forest department will spearhead this targeted search operation. Authorities have stated that any deceased individuals found will be airlifted from the affected regions.
According to official data, approximately 180 people remain unaccounted for in the Mundakai and Chooralmala areas. Revenue Minister K Rajan mentioned that a comprehensive list of missing persons will be created with the help of local authorities and ASHA workers. The search operation, involving 1,174 personnel from various forces and 913 volunteers and local residents, will cover six zones in the landslide-affected regions. The Mundakkai landslide has claimed 402 lives, with 180 of the recovered bodies being fragmented remains found in the mud and Chaliyar River. However, official records put the death toll at 222, with 180 individuals still missing.
In response to the devastation, the Kerala government has pledged a comprehensive rehabilitation program for the victims of the Wayanad landslide. The plan includes acquiring land, building new homes, and establishing necessary infrastructure to support the affected communities. Finance Minister K N Balagopal announced that the government has received international offers of assistance following his visit to the devastated Chooralmala region.
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