Kerala landslide: Death toll rises to 63, 116 injured

NDRF personnel engaged in rescue operations following Wayanad landslides. Pic/ PTI

The death toll in the Kerala landslide rose to 63 and around 116 people were injured in the landslides that hit the Meppadi area of Wayanad, the Kerala Revenue Minister's office said on Tuesday.

Given the situation, a total of three camps have been set up in Wayanad. 12 people are undergoing treatment in Kalpetta Government Hospital and 77 are in WIMS Wayanad. Eight deaths were reported in WIMS and one each in Meppadi Community Health Centre and Vythiri Taluk Hospital. 27 injured people are undergoing treatment at Meppadi CHC. 35 were reported dead and 27 are undergoing treatment at Bathery Taluk Hospital, according to ANI.

Kerala Forest Minister Saseendran reached the affected area to assess the damage and coordinate immediate response measures. State Minister Ramachandran Kadannappalli will soon join the efforts on the ground, reported ANI.

In addition, a delegation of State Ministers of Revenue, Public Works, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Departments is reportedly travelling by air from Thiruvananthapuram and is expected to reach the site soon, as per the Kerala chief minister's office.

According to the news agency report, Union Minister of State George Kurian is heading to Wayanad to lead relief and rescue operations. On the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the minister will coordinate with National Disaster Relief Force personnel, paramilitary forces, Kerala Government officials and other agencies in the operation.

An Indian Navy team from the Ezhimala Naval Base in Kannur is being sent to the district in Kerala to assist in the rescue operations at Chooralmala, which was hit by landslides on Tuesday morning following torrential rains, reported ANI.

As per the ANI report, the Navy team is being dispatched at the request of Chief Minister Pinrayi Vijayan, who sought the help of the Navy's River Crossing team, according to the Chief Minister's Office.

The Army and Air Force have been mobilised for the rescue operations in the area, which have been hampered as a main bridge has collapsed in the town of Chooralmala.

Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held discussions with top Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) officials on the situation in the landslide-affected Wayanad areas, reported ANI.

Around 200 Indian Army personnel from Defence Security Corps (DSC) Centre Kannur and 122 TA Battalion from Kozhikode were dispatched to the site. Two helicopters from Air Force station Sulur have been dispatched, as per the Defence officials. According to the ANI report, a team of 30 specialist swimmers from the Indian Navy is being deployed.

(With inputs from ANI)