Rescuers help residents to move to a safer place, at a landslide site after multiple landslides in the hills, in Wayanad, in the southern state of Kerala, July 30, 2024.
Credit: Reuters Photo
A massive landslide occurred at Mundakai and Chooralmala areas, around 20 km from Kalpetta town of Wayanad, Kerala at around 2 am on Tuesday.
The death toll is escalating with 49 bodies recovered so far. Hundreds of people have been reported missing in the tragedy.
While rescue workers could reach the Chooralmala region, no one could not reach Mundakai region so far as roads and bridges to the region were devastated. At least 200 people, mostly plantation workers, are believed to be stranded in the region.
Around 50 people have so far been admitted to a private medical college in Wayanad. The Health Department has provided two helpline numbers - 9656938689 and 8086010833 - for those in need of emergency assistance, and has also established a control room.
At least ten bodies were recovered from the river in Pothukallu in Malappuram, over 50 kilometres from the landslide-hit spot. More people are suspected to have been washed away in the Chaliyar river.
Multiple NDRF teams, two helicopters and other rescue efforts are on their way to Mundakkai, which has been totally cut off by devastating landslides, the state government said.
State Revenue Minister K Rajan said one team of NDRF is working to clear the debris and create access as they progress towards Mundakkai, and three more NDRF teams from Kollam, Arakkonam, and Bengaluru are also on their way.
Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages were among the areas affected and cut off by the landslides, authorities said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and extended all support for rescue and relief operations.
Vijayan visited the State Disaster Management Authority control room in Thiruvananthapuram to review the situation. He said that all possible measures were being taken to rescue those trapped.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the district rocked by landslides triggered by incessant rains and neighbouring Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur districts indicating extremely heavy rainfall.
(With DHNS and PTI inputs)