Kerala landslides: Rescue ops by army NDRF others commence at daybreak

Wayanad: Rescue personnel commenced search and rescue operations on Wednesday in Wayanad, a day after deadly landslides claimed over 123 lives and injured about 186 persons.

Units of the army, NDRF and other emergency service personnel deployed in Wayanad resume the search operations.

Rescue workers were looking under collapsed roofs and debris of destroyed houses for victims and possible survivors of the landslides.

A Defence spokesperson said that soldiers of the 122 Infantry Battalion of the Territorial Army, camped at a local school in Meppadi, moved out to the calamity hit areas.

“Heading into Day2 of #RescueOperations: #WayanadLandslides Soldiers of 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. #WeCare,” the spokesperson said on social media platform ‘X’.

Meanwhile, several companies of the army moved from Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru to Calicut by road and air, a Defence statement said.

The army companies included those experienced in disaster relief, medical teams, ambulances and other equipment, it said.

Fears of mounting fatalities have been sparked by apprehensions that several people may still be trapped under the debris.

Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains struck the picturesque hamlets of Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha in the early hours of Tuesday, killing several people, including women and children.

Wayanad, a hill district in northern Kerala, is known for its lush green forests, rolling hills, and sparkling waterfalls. With a population of about 8,17,000 people (as of the 2011 census), it is home to various cultures, including the indigenous tribal communities.