Over 60 people have been confirmed dead while more than 100 people are reportedly missing after landslide hit Kerala’s hill station district as the monsoon rain continue to pound the region. The incidents were said to have taken place on Tuesday morning with the worst hit villages being Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha.
The Hindu stated in a report on the incident: “Picturesque hamlets known for their beauty — Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha — are now a picture of gloom after landslides hit the areas, cutting them off from other places. Vehicles washed away in floodwaters could be seen stuck in tree trunks and submerged here and there in many places.”
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi has expressed deep grief over loss of lives due to landslides in parts of Wayanad, Kerala. He has also spoken to Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan and assured all possible help from the Central Government in the wake of the prevailing situation there.
The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia from PMNRF of Rs. 2 lakhs to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 for those injured.
Earlier today, the Chief Minister of Kerala informed that a delegation of five ministers has been assigned in Wayanad to address the aftermath of the recent landslide and oversee ongoing relief efforts.
Teams from NDRF, Fire, Police, and the Revenue Department are said to be actively working on the ground but the weather condition was said to be hampering the rescue operations.
Meanwhile, the Central Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for heavy rains in Kerala forecasted for the next 5 days.
Today in the Parliament, Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi urged the Government of India and the Kerala Government to extend all possible support for rescue and medical care to his former Lok Sabha Constituency.
Highlighting that more than 70 people have been killed, Gandhi requested immediate release of the compensation to the deceased and also for the compensation to be enhanced. Further, the LoP stated that the threat of landslides looms over several areas in Wayanad and the Western Ghats. He also highlighted the alarming rise in the number of landslides experienced in the country in the last few years and called for mapping of landslide prone areas and to take up mitigation measures and an action plan to address the growing frequencies of natural calamities in ecologically fragile regions.
The Brave Team of @04NDRF is on continuous rescue operation in #keralaflood .@PMOIndia @narendramodi @AmitShah @PIBHomeAffairs @NDRFHQ @PIB_India @airnewsalerts @DDNewslive pic.twitter.com/2SKHyn4Yzw
— PIB in Tamil Nadu (@pibchennai) July 30, 2024
