At least 80 people are confirmed dead in the Wayanad landslides which devastated hilly areas of the district on Tuesday morning.
Wayanad Landslides: Amidst the backdrop of devastating landslides which left behind a trail of death and destruction on Tuesday morning in Wayanad district, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has more heavy rainfall in parts of Kerala and issued a ‘red’ alert for as many as eight districts of the state.
As per an IMD release, more heavy rainfall is expected in Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod districts of Kerala. The IMD has sounded a ‘red’ alert for these eight districts for the next 24 hours.
The weather agency has also issued an ‘orange’ alert for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts, where heavy to very rainfall is forecasted.
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Wayanad Landslides
A series of landslides triggered by torrential rains struck hilly areas in Kerala’s Wayanad district on Tuesday morning, triggering flash floods which left behind a wave of death and destruction, leaving at least 80 people dead and over a hundred others injured.
The death toll in the disaster which has devastated a large swathe of land in the Wayanad district, climbed to 80 on Tuesday as as more bodies were recovered by rescuers.
In a statement, Kerala Chief Secretary V Venu said 80 bodies have been recovered so far, while around 116 people are injured and undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the district, adding that rescue operations in the landslide-hit areas are ongoing as many people are still feared trapped.
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Tri-Services deployed to assist rescue ops
Meanwhile, all three armed forces of the India’s Tri-Services– Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and the Indian Navy– have been deployed in the disaster hit areas to assist other agencies in rescue operations.
The Indian Navy was called in to aid in the rescue effort at the request of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, officials said, adding that a 200-strong Indian Navy team from the Ezhimala Naval Base in Kannur is being deployed to assist in the rescue operations at Chooralmala.
Earlier, CM Vijayan sought the help of the Navy’s River Crossing team, while the Army and Air Force have also been mobilised for the rescue operations in the area, which have been hampered as a main bridge has collapsed in the town of Chooralmala, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a release.
(With inputs from agencies)
