Wayanad Landslides: Death Toll Reaches 143 As Rescue Ops Resume Amid Rain 'Red' Alert — Updates

The death toll in the Wayanad landslides rose to 143 as rescue operations resume amid a red alert warning indicating chances of heavy rain.

The death toll in the Wayanad landslides rose to 143 as rescue operations resume amid a red alert warning indicating chances of heavy rain.

Source : PTI

Wayanad Landslide: At least 143 people were reported dead in the twin landslides that hit Kerala's Wayanad district early on Tuesday, said Kerala Health Department as rescue operations entered second day on Wednesday, as reported by news agency ANI.

The landslides in Wayanad were triggered after the permanent structure was washed away following the torrential rainfall in the region.

Amid a red alert warning predicting heavy rain in Wayanad, soldiers of the 122 Infantry Battalion of the Territorial Army prepared for the second day of rescue operations to move from their temporary shelter at a local school to calamity-hit areas in Meppadi, Wayanad.

#WATCH | Kerala: Soldiers of the 122 Infantry Battalion of the Territorial Army preparing for the second day of rescue operations move out from their temporary shelter at local school to calamity-hit areas in Meppadi, Wayanad.

Source: PRO Defence Kochi pic.twitter.com/zf13Ejo1gI

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2024

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for four districts including Wayanad on Tuesday. The IMD also issued red alert to Kozhikode, Malappuram and Kasaragod in the state on Tuesday. 

According to IMD, an orange alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, and Palakkad, warning of further severe weather conditions.

Top Updates:

• National flag at half-mast at Kerala Legislative Assembly, as two-day mourning is being observed in the state after the Wayanad landslide claimed 143 lives.
• Relief and rescue operations were underway on Wednesday in Wayanad's Chooralmala to rescue trapped people.
• Earlier on Wednesday morning, NDRF Commander Akhilesh Kumar told ANI, "We rescued injured victims from Mundakkai village yesterday. We fear victims might be trapped in collapsed buildings... Till 10 pm last night, we rescued 70 people, after which we had to stop because of bad weather and rain... Since there are many teams working, we cannot give an exact number of deaths, because we only know about the dead bodies our team has recovered... People have been given shelter in a resort and a mosque on the other side of the river. Since rainfall is going on, there are chances of another landslide".
• West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose reached Kerala's Calicut on Tuesday night to take stock of the relief work underway in Wayanad, where a series of landslides left at least 123 people dead and 128 injured, the Raj Bhavan said here. In a post on "X", it also said that Bose has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the rescue operations. "Governor Bose has reached Calicut Airport on his way to the landslide hit Meppadi in the Wayanad Hills. He is in touch with the central and state agencies engaged in relief operations," it said.
• The Army, which has been deployed for rescue services in Wayanad district, has managed to save about 1000 persons using a temporary bridge, a senior official said on Tuesday. He also suggested putting on hold the rescue operations, as it was getting dark.
• Col.Paramvir Singh Nagra, Commandant DSC Centre said the Army was on alert for the past 15 days and was contacted by the Kerala government on Tuesday morning after the devastating landslides in the hilly district. This was a "major calamity" and the NDRF and state teams were also actively involved. The Navy and the Air Force were equally contributing, he told PTI.