Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to chair all-party meeting in landslide-hit Wayanad

Pinarayi Vijayan. File Pic/PTI

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will preside over an all-party meeting in Wayanad on Thursday, as search and rescue efforts continue in the landslide-affected areas. The district government says the conference will include state ministries, local MLAs, and political party leaders.

Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and former Wayanad MP, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are also likely to visit the devastated areas' relief centres, according to the party, reported PTI.

According to the news agency report, as of Wednesday night, the death toll of Wayanad landslide stood at 167, with 191 people missing and more than 200 injured. The district government said that 100 of the deceased had been identified.

Rescue operations entered their third day, with teams from the army, navy, and Coast Guard conducting detailed searches in Attamala, Mundakkai, and Chooralmala. Each team is accompanied by a dog squad, according to a statement, the report added.

Efforts to construct a bailey bridge to connect the affected areas are underway, as shown in TV visuals.

The landslides, triggered by torrential rains, hit the hamlets of Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha early on Tuesday, resulting in significant loss of life, including women and children.

Military intensifies rescue operations in Wayanad landslide

Meanwhile, military soldiers stepped up search and rescue operations in Kerala's Wayanad district on Wednesday, where landslides had killed over 160 people. The Army said it recovered more than 80 bodies and rescued roughly 1,000 people. The Army has created a Command and Control Centre in Kozhikode, led by Maj Gen VT Mathew, General Officer Commanding, Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area, and Brig Arjun Segan, to coordinate humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) efforts.

Brig Segan made an early inspection of the impacted areas on Wednesday, directing Army columns for future rescue operations. Troops are conducting rescue operations over a six-kilometre stretch of the landslide-affected area.

Rescue teams were dispatched from Kannur, Kozhikode, and Thiruvananthapuram. The initial responders were two columns from the Defence Security Corps (DSC) Centre in Kannur and the 122 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Madras in Kozhikode, each with 225 troops. They teamed up with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies.

Two further HADR columns, including two medical teams totalling 135 troops, were flown from Thiruvananthapuram to Kozhikode by AN-32 and C-130 aircraft. The Army's Engineer Task Force from Madras Engineer Group and Centre (MEG & Centre), consisting of 123 people, a set of 150-foot Bailey bridges, three earthmovers, and other support equipment, has been dispatched to the affected area.

Construction of a bridge on the Meepadi-Choormala Road is begun, with earthmoving equipment being airlifted across the creek. A footbridge was built overnight on July 30.

A C-17 aeroplane carrying a 110-foot Bailey bridge from the Engineers Stores Depot in Delhi Cantonment has landed in Kannur, accompanied by three search and rescue dog teams. Additional resource requirements are being analysed based on aircraft and ground reconnaissance, as well as civil administration demands.

Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters have flown numerous sorties, dropping food and other humanitarian supplies. Air Marshal A P Singh, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, indicated that operations would continue despite weather problems.

The Army announced a successful evacuation of residents from cut-off areas. Naval aviation assets have provided transportation for State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and government officials. Multiple aircraft are on standby at Thiruvananthapuram, Sulur, and Thanjavur to provide swift air rescue response.

In addition to medical aid, the ECHS Polyclinic in Kalpetta is offering doctors, nursing assistants, and ambulances to help with flood operations. Despite the poor weather conditions caused by persistent rain, all efforts are directed towards providing immediate aid and support to those affected by the calamity.

with PTI inputs