Kerala landslides: Search operations to be concentrated on Chaliyar river basin

Wayanad: A week after massive landslides hit this north Kerala district killing hundreds, the search operations on Tuesday will be more concentrated on the Chaliyar river basin with a special team on helicopter scanning the waterbody for bodies or remains, the district administration said.

District Collector Meghashree D R told reporters that the search operations will be concentrated on the river near the school, village and downstream areas.

“Intensive search operations are going on,” she said.

ADGP M R Ajithkumar said that there were inaccessible areas along the Chaliyar river where some local volunteers were stranded in the last couple of days and had to be rescued.

“So, we decided to avoid local volunteers and create two teams of police SOG and army commandos who will be air dropped into those areas. If they find any bodies, the same will be airlifted from there,” Ajithkumar said.

He also said that the search operations were entering the last stages and areas that remain to be searched on land are places where the mud is around 50 meters deep.

“It is not possible to send people and heavy machinery there,” the officer said.

On Monday, the death toll rose to 226.