Wayanad landslides: Kin of victims, survivors included in search team

Wayanad, Kerala: A massive search operation began on Friday, including survivors and the relatives of the victims in the search team, to find those who are still missing in the aftermath of the devasting landslides that hit Wayanad district on July 30.

According to the state government, 131 people are missing in the landslides that hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala hamlets in the district.

The search operation was planned to be a day-long one, but the authorities informed that it would conclude at 11 am as the area needed to be handed over to the Special Protection Group (SPG) in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit on Saturday.

The authorities have brought four members from each relief camp to assist the rescue workers in identifying the places and locations.

Meanwhile, Minister P A Mohammed Riyas told the media that the search operation, including the relatives of the victims in the search team, will continue on Sunday.

“Today we need to end the search operation due to security reasons. We will continue on Sunday,” Riyas said.

The government has arranged excavators and other equipment, and hundreds of rescue workers are also taking part in the operation.

The search operation in the disaster-hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas are held in six zones.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the relatives are being made part of the search operation as a “last ditch effort” to find people who are still missing as all other possible means have been exhausted.

According to officials, the number of deaths due to the devastating landslides has increased to 226.