Army on its toes, rescue over 1,000 people

Military personnel on Wednesday intensified search and rescue operations in Wayanad, where landslides have claimed more than 200 lives, with the Army saying that it has recovered around 70 bodies and rescued nearly 1,000 people so far.

Four columns from the Defence Security Corps (DSC) Centre, Kannur, and 122 TA Battalion are conducting combined rescue operations along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state rescue teams, a senior Army official said.

Around 70 bodies have been recovered by the Army so far and approximately 1,000 people have been rescued, the official said.

Two Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) columns, including two medical teams, were airlifted from Trivandrum to Kozhikode by AN32 and C-130 aircraft. They arrived at Kozhikode airport late Tuesday night and stayed overnight, the Army said.

Movement of fuel and other administrative stores is planned by road, the officials said.