Wayanad Landslides News Live Updates: Rescue ops continue on Day 6, Kerala govt plans ‘safe township’ for displaced families

The deadly landslides that hit Kerala’s Wayanad district on July 30 have led to the deaths of more than 219 people as of Sunday (August 4), with 206 still missing. Rescue and relief operations began soon after the disaster struck, with teams of the army, the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), the Coast Guard, the Navy, and others deployed in the affected areas.

A major challenge in the rescue efforts was the continued rains in the region, making the movement of men and materials difficult. To solve this problem, the Indian Army’s Madras Engineer Group on Thursday built a “Bailey bridge," which was assembled at Chooralmala, to reach Mundakkai village — one of the sites worst hit by the landslides.

The 190-foot Bailey bridge has been crucial in facilitating the movement of heavy machinery and ambulances. It has a weight-carrying capacity of 24 tonnes and will remain in use until a permanent bridge is built. What exactly are these bridges and how are they assembled at such short notice? What makes them durable? We explain. Read More

As rescue operations in landslide-hit areas of Wayanad district continued for the sixth day on Sunday, authorities intensified efforts to recover bodies and also prepared a mass grave for unidentified remains, amid discussions in the state on donations to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund and whether to classify the natural calamity as a 'national disaster'.

On Sunday, more personnel and equipment were deployed in areas where the likelihood of finding bodies is high, and a drone-based Intelligent Buried Object Detection System was used to identify locations where bodies might be buried deep under huge boulders or logs.

Stepping up the rescue operations, hundreds of personnel from various forces, including the NDRF, K-9 Dog Squad, Army, Special Operations Group, Madras Engineering Group, Police, Fire Force, Forest Department, Navy, and Coast Guard were deployed in the disaster-struck areas.

According to State Revenue Minister K Rajan, till date 221 bodies and 166 body parts have been recovered. (PTI)

With the search for missing persons in the landslide-ravaged areas of Wayanad now in its sixth day, the personal nightmares of the affected people are becoming increasingly clear.

For Mansoor, a 42-year-old resident of Chooralmala, the July 30 landslide has brought unimaginable loss, as he struggles to come to terms with the scale of the tragedy.

Mansoor lost 16 members of his family, including his mother, wife, two children, sister, and 11 members of his sister-in-law's family.

"My family, my home, everything is gone," he said. Mansoor narrowly escaped death as he was away at a work-related event on the day of the incident.

This morning, they identified the remains of their mother, bringing the total number of recovered bodies to four. Twelve family members remain unaccounted for.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has sent a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveying condolences to the families of the deceased in the landslides at Wayanad.

"On August 3, Premier Li Qiang sent a message of condolence to PM Modi on the landslides in Kerala. Li Qiang said that he was shocked to learn that a landslide disaster occurred in Kerala causing heavy casualties," Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong said on X.

"On behalf of the Chinese government, he expressed heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured," the envoy said on Sunday.

A day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that a township would be built to rehabilitate those displaced by the landslides in this north Kerala district, state Industries Minister P Rajeev on Sunday said a model project will be prepared for it and appealed to all sectors to join hands to achieve this goal.

Speaking at a meeting of plantation owners and representatives at the Wayanad collectorate, Rajeev said the government aims to set up a safe township project with everyone's support.

According to news agency PTI, the minister said the rehabilitation project will be implemented through the government's distress relief fund.

He also termed as "baseless" the social media campaigns against the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). ,The Secretary of the Finance Department is in charge of the fund and every rupee is accounted for, he said.

In a bid to ensure transparency regarding donations to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) for landslide relief in Wayanad district, the Kerala government on Sunday set up a complaint redressal cell to address queries about the funds' utilisation.

The cell will be set up on a temporary basis in the Finance Department, the government order said.

The decision also comes in the wake of smear campaigns and criticisms from certain quarters against donations to the CMDRF.

"The government is pleased to constitute a Complaint Redressal Cell in the Finance Department on a temporary basis, with the following officers for addressing the queries being received on CMDRF donation and related matters in connection with Wayanad Landslides 2024," the order said.

Soon after the first of a series of devastating landslides hit the hilly Meppadi panchayat in Kerala’s Wayand at around 1 am Tuesday, Neethu Jojo woke up to water gushing into her house. At 1.30 am, she alerted Wayanad Institute of Medical Sciences (WIMS), Meppadi, after which the first rescue team was sent to the spot.

The rescuers, however, took hours to reach her area in Chooralmala village – one of the worst hit – as the roads were blocked by debris. By the time they reached, the next landslide had buried her.

On Saturday, her body was recovered and laid to rest.

Neethu worked as an executive at WIMS, which lost four members of its staff to the tragedy.

A staffer at the hospital recalled her distress call: “We are in danger. There has been a landslide in Chooralmala. Water is gushing inside the house. Someone please come and save us,” Neethu had said. Read More

Mega star Chiranjeevi and his actor-son Ram Charan (of 'RRR' fame) announced contribution of Rs one crore to support the victims of landslides in Wayanad district of Kerala.

Chiranjeevi, in a post on X, expressed anguish over the loss of life due to the landslides. "Deeply distressed by the devastation and loss of hundreds of precious lives in Kerala due to nature's fury in the last few days. My heart goes out to the victims of the Wayanad tragedy," he said.

"Charan and I together are contributing Rs 1 crore to the Kerala CM Relief Fund as a token of our support to the victims. My prayers for the recovery of all those in pain!," Chiranjeevi said.

Telugu superstar Allu Arjun is the latest film personality to make a donation to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) for rehabilitation efforts in the landslide-hit Wayanad district in Kerala.

The death toll from the catastrophic landslide, which hit the district in the early hours of July 30, has risen to 219, according to the state government.

In an X post, Arjun said he wanted to do his bit for the state which has always given him a lot of love.

"I am deeply saddened by the recent landslide in Wayanad. Kerala has always given me so much love, and I want to do my bit by donating ?25 lakh to the Kerala CM Relief Fund to support the rehabilitation work. Praying for your safety and strength. @CMOKerala," the "Pushpa: The Rise" star wrote on Sunday.

The BJP has responded to demands from various quarters, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, to declare the devastating Wayanad landslides a national disaster. They are saying that such a concept doesn't exist under Central government guidelines, a policy unchanged since the UPA government's tenure.

Senior party leader V Muraleedharan posted on his Facebook page a 2013 Parliament document in which then Minister of State for Home, Mullappally Ramachandran, stated that "there is no provision to declare a natural disaster as a national disaster."

Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday said that the Centre will examine the legality behind the demand from various quarters to classify as a national disaster the landslides that hit this north Kerala district and killed hundreds.

Gopi, who is Union Minister of State for Tourism, Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that the Central government will "examine its legal aspects" after carrying out an evaluation of the landslides which wiped away hundreds of homes in Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas of the district. "The impact has to be studied," he said.

Formed by the confluence of two major tributaries in the Western Ghats, the Chaliyar river has carried the bodies of most of the victims who lost their lives in the tragic landslides in Kerala's Wayanad.

Three bodies and 13 body parts were recovered from the river on Saturday alone. These recoveries bring the total number of bodies found in the Chaliyar River to 73 and body parts to 132, making a grim total of 205, according to officials.

"The recovered bodies comprise 37 men, 29 women, 3 boys, and 4 girls," said an official in Malappuram district.

Search operations continue in the 40-kilometre stretch of the Chaliyar river

Eight police stations along the river are working with local swimming experts to find bodies carried downstream or trapped along the banks, while a police helicopter is assisting with aerial searches.

The 190-foot Bailey bridge, constructed by the army and handed over to the Wayanad administration on Thursday, has been crucial in facilitating the movement of heavy machinery and ambulances. It will remain in use until a permanent bridge is built.

Kerala’s Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said discussions of rehabilitation will need to be held with everyone, especially to the views of those living in the relief camps and those admitted to the hospitals.

"Priority will be given to the views of those in the camps and hospitals," he said. But the discussion will not be held now, it will take place once the survivors are in a state of mind to talk about it, he added.

According to the district administration, till Saturday night, 219 bodies and over 143 body parts were recovered with 206 persons missing.

As per the district administration, 219 bodies and over 143 body parts were recovered as of Saturday night. Around 206 persons are suspected to be still missing, news agency PTI reported.

Kerala's Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas has said the rescue operations will focus on areas where there are higher chances of recovering bodies.

- They will continue in the 40-kilometre stretch of the Chaliyar river, which flows through Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. This is because many bodies and remains were recovered from it near Nilambur in Malappuram.

- In Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas, devastated by the landslides, that were segregated into six search zones, the operations will continue in the same way as in the last few days.

Residents of landslide-devastated villages in Kerala's Wayanad district who were forced to flee their homes have reported thefts from their abandoned properties, prompting police to increase night patrols.

The displaced residents suspect that thieves might be taking advantage of the state's biggest humanitarian crisis to steal valuables.

Some of the affected people have urged the authorities to identify and punish those who enter the area at night with the intention of stealing.

"We are the ones who have lost everything in the tragedy," an affected person told reporters.

"We had abandoned our homes to ensure our safety during the landslide tragedy. But when we returned to check the state of our home after that, we found the doors broken open." He complained that thieves had even targeted their room in the resort where they are currently staying and stolen their clothes.

In a statement on Saturday evening, the authorities said that police patrols had been launched in the disaster-hit areas, including Chooralmala and Mundakkai. (PTI)

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday thanked the people and government of Karnataka for their support during difficult times in Wayanad and said their commitment to building 100 houses for the victims of landslides is a significant step towards rehabilitation efforts.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Saturday that his government will build 100 houses for victims of the landslide-hit district in Kerala.

Taking to X, Siddaramaiah said in light of the tragic landslides in Wayanad, Karnataka stands in solidarity with Kerala.

"I have assured CM Shri @pinarayivijayan of our support and announced that Karnataka will construct 100 houses for the victims. Together, we will rebuild and restore hope," he said.

Sharing Siddaramaiah's post on X, Gandhi said, "I am deeply grateful to the people and the government of Karnataka for their generous support during these difficult times in Wayanad." "Your commitment to building 100 houses for the victims of the tragic landslide is a significant step towards rehabilitation efforts," the former Congress president said. (PTI)

The Kerala government on Saturday announced free ration to the people of Mundakkai and Chooralmala regions of Wayanad district, which were hit by the devastating landslide on July 30.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil said the people at Mundakkai and Chooralmala will receive the August month ration for free.

Currently, the ration is being provided free of charge to priority categories and at a fair price to non-priority categories.

However, in the disaster-struck region, ration will be provided free of cost to all categories, he added.

The toll in the Wayanad landslides climbed to 218, the district administration said. (PTI)

A two-member delegation of the Trinamool Congress on Saturday visited the landslide-hit Wayanad district in Kerala and met the injured people in a hospital.

The team, comprising the party's Rajya Sabha MPs and national spokespersons Sushmita Dev and Saket Gokhale, offered full support to the disaster-hit people and assured them of every help.

"Standing by our people in their time of crisis is our foremost duty," the TMC said on X.

"In this spirit, Rajya Sabha MPs Smt. @SushmitaDevAITC and Shri @SaketGokhale have actively supported the disaster-affected communities in Wayanad. Our representatives met with those injured in the hospital, offering their full support and assurance," the party said. (PTI)

"Wayanad presented a very brilliant example of the coordination between the central government and the state government," said Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan while talking to ANI today. On Wayanad landslide, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said, "This is an hour of crisis, hour of tragedy. All our focus is on rescue and relief. So far all the bodies have not been recovered. So rescue work is in operation."

Forest department personnel rescued six tribals, including four children, from a landslide-affected area in Wayanad today.

"Indian Army's relief columns, in collaboration with other agencies, have successfully restored the connectivity till the last remote village of Punjri Matom, the origin site of the landslide. This connectivity has re-established crucial access, providing essential relief to the impacted community," said Southern Command Indian Army in a post on the social media site X today.

The Kerala government on Saturday announced that a township will be established in a secure area to rehabilitate those displaced by the catastrophic landslide that occurred in the Mundakkai region of Wayanad district.

During a press conference here, Vijayan said a comprehensive rehabilitation process is planned and will be implemented swiftly.

Vijayan said various offers have come from the global community to provide land and construct houses.

A 'Help for Wayanad' cell has been formed under Joint Land Revenue Commissioner A Geetha IAS to coordinate these offers.

"The government plans a comprehensive rehabilitation process for the survivors, aiming for swift completion. A new, safer area will be identified for constructing a township. The Education Minister will visit Wayanad to ensure that children's education is not disrupted," Vijayan told the reporters here.

Detailing the offers received, the CM said Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has informed that senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will construct 100 houses for rehabilitation. (PTI)

The massive landslides that hit this north Kerala district did not just rip apart families, but also left many domestic animals ownerless, including livestock, who can be seen roaming in the disaster-stricken areas looking for food.

These homeless animals will now get a home thanks to the Animal Welfare Department, which has decided to hand them over to dairy farmers in the vicinity of the landslide-hit areas who are willing to take them, the district administration said in a statement.

The Animal Welfare Department, which is operating a 24-hour control room at Chooralmala -- one of the landslide-hit areas -- will accurately record the names of the dairy farmers to whom the animals will be handed over, the statement said.

Domestic animals and birds found alive or dead from the disaster-affected places, including Chooralmala and Mundakkai, will be brought to the control room and further action will be taken after that.

Presently, the ownerless animals are being provided food and water by NGOs and other volunteers, it said.

It also said that a day ago, two puppies recovered from the Chooralmala disaster site were handed over to the military and police special defense group. (PTI)

As the search and rescue operations are still underway in landslide-hit Wayanad, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called for an active policy framework on disaster response and mitigation on Saturday and asserted that long-term responses from the government are needed to rehabilitate the people affected by the natural disaster.

Tharoor told ANI, "Food and so on, is plentifully available in Wayanad but we were able to bring some mattresses, soft, spongy things that you can spread out on the floor and lie on to help people. But all of these are just urgent, immediate responses. We have to think in terms of the longer term as well. For example, the relief camps are all in schools, but the schools have to reopen. Children have to go back to school and study. So we need to get them out into longer-term residential arrangements, such as rented homes or hostels. And the government has to take a role and then we're all helping. Then we have to build homes for them for the longer term." He further pointed out that the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, has announced that 100+ homes will be built by the Congress alone. (ANI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is taking initiatives to bring back migrant labourers from the state, currently stranded in landslide-hit Wayanad district in Kerala, the Trinamool Congress said on Saturday.

In a post on X with the caption 'Didi aachen sakaler sange, sakaler pase (Didi is with everyone, remains on the side of everyone)', the ruling party in West Bengal said the state government is ensuring that the stranded workers get all the support.

"GoWB is ensuring that migrant workers stranded in landslide-hit Wayanad, Kerala receive all the support they need. Our Hon'ble CM @MamataOfficial is leading efforts to bring them safely back to Bengal. In their hour of need, we stand united and strong!," the TMC said.

State Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak informed the assembly on Friday that 242 migrant labourers from the state are stranded in the landslide-hit Wayanad district.

He said all of them are safe. (PTI)

The finance ministry on Saturday asked public sector insurance companies including Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to speedily disburse the claim amount to landslide victims and their families in Wayanad and other districts of Kerala.

The insurance companies have initiated efforts for reaching out to their policyholders through various channels (local newspapers, social media, company websites, sms, etc) to provide the contact details for assistance in the districts of Wayanad, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Thrissur, where a significant number of claims are being reported, the finance ministry said in a post on X.

"In view of the unfortunate landslide incident and heavy rains in Kerala, the government has mandated the Public Sector Insurance companies (PSICs), including LIC, National Insurance Corporation, New India Assurance, Oriental Insurance, and United India Insurance to extend all possible support to the victims of the calamity so that the insurance claims can be expeditiously processed and paid," it said.

LIC has been asked to speedily disburse the claim amount in respect of the policyholders under the PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, it said.

The documentation required for processing of claims has been relaxed comprehensively to ensure speedy dispersal of the claim amount, it said. (PTI)

The death toll in the Wayanad landslides increased to 218, the district administration said on Saturday.

The 218 dead include 90 women and 30 children, the administration said in a statement.

Of the 218 bodies recovered from the landslides-hit areas, 152 have been identified by relatives, it said.

It further said that 143 body parts have also been recovered till date.

The administration also said that autopsies of 217 bodies and 143 body parts have been performed and 119 remains were handed over to next of kin.

Besides these, 518 people were admitted to hospitals and of them 89 are undergoing treatment, the statement said. (PTI)

Both patients Salim 36 yrs and Muhsin 32 yrs were stranded at the Soojipara while they were involved in the dead body recovery work. They climbed the location yesterday morning and were unable to climb down due to injuries to their legs while climbing. Both of the patients required evaluation with X-ray and fluid management along with further hospital evaluation and were evacuated by IAF today. Around 206 people are suspected to be missing.