In the wake of the tragic landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad, health authorities have identified 401 bodies and body parts through DNA testing. The recovery and identification process was a combined effort by the Army, Special Operations Group, Fire and Rescue Services, Forest Department, and numerous volunteers. Officials confirmed that 349 body parts from 248 individuals—121 men and 127 women—were retrieved. However, 52 bodies or body parts were too decomposed for immediate identification and will require further testing. Families continue to wait anxiously for updates on their missing loved ones.
Search operations are ongoing in areas like Nilambur and along the Chaliyar River, where three additional body parts were found on Tuesday. Forest Minister AK Saseendran reported that a total of 231 bodies and 206 body parts have been recovered thus far. Currently, 1,505 people are housed in 12 relief camps, with 415 samples sent for DNA testing. Blood samples have been collected from 115 individuals, including relatives from Bihar, to assist in identifying the deceased. Efforts are also being made to relocate survivors from relief camps to temporary settlements, with plans to use vacant houses in Wayanad.
The landslides, which struck Chooralmala and Mundakai on July 30, have claimed over 400 lives, with about 100 people still unaccounted for. The Kerala government has issued 1,368 certificates to disaster victims as part of ongoing recovery efforts. Harrison Malayalam labor unions are evaluating 53 ready-to-occupy houses for safety, while a five-member committee is inspecting rental housing options within local self-government limits to accommodate those displaced by the disaster.
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