Wayanad landslides LIVE | Clearly a national disaster, let's see what govt does: Rahul
CM Pinarayi Vijayan holds all-party meet; more than 1,500 rescued so far from landslide-hit areas of Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha
Congress leader and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are in Wayanad to visit the landslide-affected areas and meet people who have been injured and lost their homes in the calamity.
Addressing the media after an all-party meeting on the issue on Thursday (August 1), Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the rescue mission in landslides-hit Mundakkai region might take some more days and that a cabinet sub-committee comprising four ministers has been appointed to coordinate the rescue efforts.
The four ministers –Revenue Minister K Rajan, Forest Minister AK Saseendran, PWD and Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas, and SC/ST Department Minister O R Kelu – will camp in the district.
The chief minister said the rescue attempt is not something that will be over in a few days.
"This rescue attempt is not something which can be resolved in a short period of time. As of now, 12 ministers are camping in Wayanad. Now the all-party meeting has decided that four ministers will camp here to coordinate the rescue operations," Vijayan said.
Vijayan said while it was initially difficult to begin the search operations due to the massive accumulation of soil, now that the Army is completing the construction of the Bailey Bridge, the mission will be easier.
The construction of a Bailey bridge to connect the landslide-hit areas, where several people are believed to be stranded, alongside the deployment of sniffer dogs and over 1,000 rescuers from Central and state emergency response teams conducting massive search operations, constitutes one of the largest rescue efforts in Wayanad.
Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains hit Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha hamlets in the early hours of Tuesday, killing several people, including women and children.
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Live Updates
- 1 Aug 2024 7:50 AM GMT
Search will continue in the river: CM
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan tells the media: "A high-level meeting was held today. After that, political party leaders' meeting was also held. Opposition leaders also attended the meeting. Our focus is to rescue those who are isolated. I appreciate the efforts of the Army personnel. They have informed us that most of the trapped individuals have been rescued. Bringing down machinery to rescue those trapped under the soil was difficult and building the bridge eased the efforts. The construction of Bailey Bridge has been mostly completed."Search will continue in the river to search for missing persons. Rescued people have been temporarily shifted to camps. Rehabilitation work will be done at the earliest, as we have done in previous situations too. I request the media to avoid meeting people and shooting inside the camps. You may talk to them outside the camps, it is important to protect their privacy..." - 1 Aug 2024 7:01 AM GMT
Heavy machinery needed: Rescuers
Rescue and search operators say heavy machinery is required to remove the huge trees uprooted in the landslides that buried several houses.
“We are standing on the terrace of a building, and a smell is emanating from underneath, indicating the presence of dead bodies. The building is fully covered with mud and uprooted trees,” a rescue operator told the media.
He said that excavators are available for the operations, but they are insufficient for the task.
“Heavy machinery is required to remove the huge trees and carry out search operations in the collapsed buildings. Only then can we make progress in the search operations,” he added.
- 1 Aug 2024 6:28 AM GMT
Doctors face mounting pressure of care and autopsies
Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, are working round the clock in Wayanad, grappling with a distressing situation that involves providing critical care to severely injured survivors and performing autopsies on the remains of victims claimed by the catastrophic event.
“Until 7am today, we have completed 256 autopsies, which include body parts as well. So, it’s not 256 full bodies, but also includes body parts. We have handed over 154 bodies to the district administration,” said State Health Minister Veena George.
She explained that autopsies have been performed on bodies that were swept away by the river and recovered from the Pothukal area in Malappuram district.
Speaking about the traumatic situations faced by health workers, the minister revealed that over 100 autopsies were performed on Wednesday night.
“It’s quite unfortunate. Last night, we performed 112 autopsies, I think. I saw a health worker there, and she was crying. She hadn’t gone home the previous day and was staying back.
“I asked her why, and she said she was in charge of this particular area. She said, ‘I can’t go home; I have to be here because my people are coming’,” George said.
The Health Department has set up a temporary hospital in the landslide-hit area.
“Our nearest hospital is the public healthcare centre, which has facilities for autopsies and inquests. We have also deployed teams from other districts to assist with autopsies,” she added.
The minister noted that the private sector has also contributed by sending teams with doctors, nurses, and other workers.
“They have also sent medicines. We currently have a few patients in the ICU, and some are in critical condition. We have shifted a child who inhaled mud to an advanced medical facility in Kozhikode,” she said.
Anticipating an outbreak of contagious diseases in the aftermath of the calamity, the minister stated that measures have been taken to prevent them.
She said in addition to the newly established temporary hospital, treatments are being provided in various hospitals across the district, including both government and private facilities, and “our team is offering wonderful support.”
