Wayanad landslides: Search resumes to find bodies along 40-km stretch of Chaliyar river

Rescue operations resumed for the sixth consecutive day in the landslide-hit areas of Kerala’s Wayanad on Sunday (August 4) with more force and equipment being deployed in spots where chances of recovering bodies were high.

According to the district administration, till Saturday night, 219 bodies and over 143 body parts were recovered with 206 persons missing. Unofficial sources say the death toll has crossed the 300-mark.

Kerala’s Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas said that search operations will continue in the 40-kilometre stretch of the Chaliyar river, which flows through Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts, as many bodies and remains were recovered from it near Nilambur in Malappuram.

Search on in 6 zones

The landslides-hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas which have been segregated into six search zones for rescue teams, the operations will continue in the same way as in the last few days with more force and equipment being allocated to spots where chances of finding remains under the debris were high, the minister told a TV channel.

“We have divided the entire area into six zones and have authorised one senior officer for each zone. Each officer is supervising a team that consists of 40 members. We are seeking help from the local people as well. We can find that how many houses were there as they are registered in gram panchayat. We cannot say how many people were there as all are not included in ration cards and voter lists, as people from different states also come to work,” state Minister for Forests and Wildlife Protection, AK Saseendran told ANI.

Rehabilitation plans

Regarding the rehabilitation of the survivors, Riyas said discussions need to be held with everyone, especially to the views of those living in the relief camps and those admitted to the hospitals.

"Priority will be given to the views of those in the camps and hospitals," he said.

But the discussion will not be held now, it will take place once the survivors are in a state of mind to talk about it, he added.

The minister said immediate interventions will be carried out to help those who have lost identification and other important records.

Steps will also be taken to ensure the education of children in the landslides-hit areas is not hampered in any manner, Riyas said.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan while briefing the media, had said that the government will identify a safer area to build a township for the survivors of the tragedy.

Search ops stepped up

Advanced radars, drones and heavy machinery were used by rescue teams on Saturday to locate survivors or deceased.

Stepping up the rescue operations, nearly 1,300 personnel from various forces, including the NDRF, K-9 Dog Squad, Army, Special Operation Group, Madras Engineering Group, Police, Fire Force, Forest Department, Navy, and Coast Guard were deployed in the disaster-struck areas.

Private companies specialising in the field of search and rescue and volunteers also joined the operations in which rescuers braved the rains and waterlogged terrain to look for survivors under massive boulders and huge logs that were deposited in residential areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala in the landslides.

According to government figures, the death toll from the catastrophic landslide has risen to 219 while the unofficial number is much more than that.

Ham radio enthusiasts roped in

With around 206 people still missing, deep search radars and cadaver dogs were also deployed in a bid to locate people or their remains believed to be trapped beneath the huge debris in the landslide-ravaged villages.

The rescue efforts were also supported by a group of ham radio enthusiasts who established a critical communication network that helped save lives and facilitated the search operations.

The amateur radio system, set up by volunteer operators on the ground floor of the District Collector's office in Kalpetta, has been providing vital information to affected communities and authorities, facilitating rescue efforts and relief operations.

Tribal family rescued

In what is being dubbed a miracle, rescue personnel on Saturday found and brought to safety four young children hiding in a cave deep in the Attamala forest. Sources say the children were found after the Kalpetta forest Officer spotted the mother wandering in the forest in search of food for her stranded family. The family had been hungry for five days. She took the team to the cave where she had hid her four children, aged between one and four years. It took the team eight hours to bring the family to safety.

(With inputs from agencies)