Wayanad: Three days after massive landslides hit the Wayanad district in Kerala, four people, including two women, were rescued alive by the Army. Four individuals – two males and two females – who were stranded in Padavetti Kunnu, Wayanad were found alive, the Army said in a statement. The four have been airlifted to a safer place. One of the rescued women suffered injuries in her leg and is being given necessary medical treatment.
The operation was carried out with precision and care, ensuring the safety of all individuals involved. A casualty evacuation was coordinated and an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) was launched to facilitate the rescue. The swift response and seamless execution of the operation ensured the timely evacuation of the stranded individuals, the statement added.
Massive landslides wreak havoc in in Wayanad
Devastating landslides, triggered by monsoon rain, struck the hilly Wayanad district on Tuesday. The landslides, which occurred early on Tuesday, left a trail of destruction in its wake, with several houses destroyed, water bodies swollen and trees uprooted. The death toll mounted to 195. With nearly 200 people missing, the toll is expected to rise. Rescue operators are battling adverse conditions, including waterlogged soil, as they search through destroyed homes and buildings looking for survivors or bodies.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the rescue mission in the landslide-hit Mundakkai region of Wayanad could take a few more days, and appointed a cabinet sub-committee of four ministers to coordinate the rescue efforts. Vijayan praised the “commendable” efforts of the rescue workers, especially the Indian Army. He said the scale of the rescue work is such that it cannot be completed in a short period of time.
Blame game over Wayanad landslides
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the Kerala government did not heed the Centre’s warning regarding a possible natural calamity in Wayanad due to heavy rains. Countering Shah’s claim, Vijayan said that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had only issued an orange alert in the district ahead of the landslides.
However, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Thursday that an orange warning means “be prepared for action and one should not wait for red warnings.” During a press conference, Mohapatra said the weather department had issued forecasts for significant rainfall activity along the west coast of India on a regular basis and a red alert for Kerala in the early morning of July 30, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Thursday.