Wayanad landslide: Death toll climbs to five after 2 more bodies recovered; search on for missing three
Kalpetta, July 9
The death toll in the Wayanad mudslide tragedy climbed to five on Thursday after rescue teams recovered two bodies from the debris, even as the search resumed for three people who remain missing.
State Agriculture Minister T. Siddique, who is at the accident site, said that both bodies have been removed to the hospital.
The mudslide occurred near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi on Thursday, where the Wayanad end of the tunnel road project is under construction.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue Services, police, forest officials and local volunteers fanned out across the accident site as excavators and earth-moving equipment continued the painstaking effort to clear tonnes of slush and boulders.
Intermittent rain and unstable terrain continued to hamper rescue operations.
The tragedy has once again turned the spotlight on the fragile hill terrain of Wayanad, where recurring landslides and mudslips have raised concerns over habitation, infrastructure projects and disaster preparedness.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, who visited the disaster site on Wednesday evening after reviewing the situation, directed officials to continue the rescue mission without interruption and ensure all possible assistance to the affected families.
The government has also ordered close monitoring of vulnerable locations in the district in view of continuing rainfall.
Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan reached the site on Thursday morning along with CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan to assess the situation and interact with rescue personnel and local residents.
Vijayan's visit comes barely two months after he had travelled to the same area as Chief Minister to inaugurate work on the proposed tunnel road project, highlighting the dramatic transformation of the location from a development site to the scene of a major disaster.
As anxiety mounted among relatives of those still unaccounted for, rescue teams pressed ahead with the search, expressing hope that the remaining missing persons could be traced despite the difficult conditions.
With heavy rain continuing across parts of the district, authorities have urged people living in landslide-prone areas to remain vigilant and follow evacuation advisories issued by the district administration.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Kudos to the NDRF and local volunteers for their tireless efforts in such treacherous conditions. The real heroes are these ground-level workers risking their own safety. Meanwhile, our politicians are busy taking selfies at the site. Time to focus on long-term disaster management, not just photo ops.
Yet another tragedy in Wayanad. We have been raising concerns about deforestation and unregulated construction in the Western Ghats for years. The Gadgil Committee recommendations were ignored. Now we pay with lives every monsoon. The government needs to enforce strict environmental regulations in these zones.
This is heartbreaking. I visited Wayanad last year and it's such a beautiful area. Seeing the same spot now covered in mud and debris is devastating. Praying for the missing three and their families. Hope the authorities learn from this and prioritize early warning systems in vulnerable areas.
The irony is not lost - the same area where the CM inaugurated a tunnel project two months ago is now a disaster zone. 🤦♂️ Our leaders need to listen to scientists and geologists before pushing development projects in ecologically sensitive areas. Hope the missing three are found alive.
So much pain in these hills every monsoon. My thoughts are with the rescue teams working through rain and unstable terrain. The NDRF and local volunteers deserve our gratitude. But we must also question the pace of development in Wayanad without proper environmental impact assessments.
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