Last Updated on 01/08/2024 by Arun jain
Four villages in Kerala’s Wayanad district were completely wiped out after the landslide on Monday. So far 256 people have died due to this natural disaster, while a large number of people are reported to be injured and many people are still feared to be trapped under the debris.
So far 3 thousand people have been rescued. Due to heavy rains, the rescue operation is facing difficulties due to mud, rocks and large pieces of trees. The bridge between Choorlamala and Mundakkai which had collapsed is being rebuilt by the army personnel so that the rescue operation can be expedited. It is expected that this 190 feet bridge connecting Choorlamala to Mundakkai will be ready by this afternoon.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi left for Wayanad
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has left for Wayanad from New Delhi. He is reaching there to take stock of the situation in his parliamentary constituency. Priyanka Gandhi is also going with him. Both will meet the families affected by the landslide. Earlier both the leaders were going to Wayanad on Wednesday, but due to bad weather they had to postpone their program.
Also read: After the Wayanad tragedy, questions were raised on IMD’s forecast, know how accurate is the weather forecast
Four villages completely destroyed
The pictures coming from Wayanad are telling the story of the devastation that has shaken not only Kerala but the entire country. In fact, heavy rain in Wayanad on the intervening night of Monday-Tuesday became a disaster. There were three landslides between 1 am and 5 am and this caused devastation in four beautiful villages, Choorlamala, Attamala, Noolpuzha and Mundakkai, located in the catchment of the Cheliyar river below the mountain.
Entire villages were hit by huge rocks and debris. Within a short time, hundreds of houses became heaps of rubble. Whatever came in the way of the flood was swept away. Even trees were uprooted. Entire villages were hit by huge rocks and debris. Within a short time, hundreds of houses became heaps of rubble.
How dangerous that scene of destruction must have been after midnight can be guessed from the fact that the place where the temple used to be has now been flattened. So far 173 bodies have been recovered from the debris, there are reports of people still trapped in the landslide areas. Most of the tea garden workers live in these four villages. There is a population of about 22 thousand. When the landslide happened for the first time at 1 o’clock in the night, people were sleeping in their homes. No one got a chance to escape or even escape.
The army took command
The Indian Army has intensified rescue operations in the landslide-affected areas in Wayanad. Under the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations (HADR), the Indian Army has intensified its efforts to rescue people trapped after the devastating landslides in Wayanad. About 500 personnel, including medical staff, have been deployed.
Also read: Pinarayi Vijayan hits back at Amit Shah on Wayanad landslide, says- you cannot blame others
About 1,000 people have been rescued by the Army. The Army has set up a “Command and Control Centre” headed by Major General VT Mathew, General Officer Commanding, Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area along with Brigadier Arjun Segan at Kozhikode to coordinate HADR efforts.
The troops forming part of the HADR contingents were brought in from Kannur, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram. Two contingents each from DSC Centre, Kannur and 122 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Madras, Kozhikode, comprising a total of 225 personnel, were the first to arrive rescuers. In addition, two additional HADR contingents including two medical teams with a strength of 135 personnel each were moved from Trivandrum to Kozhikode to expedite rescue and relief operations. Another set of 110 feet Bailey Bridge from Engineers Stores Depot, Delhi Cantt and a C-17 aircraft carrying three Search and Rescue Dog Teams have also landed at Kannur for further use.
483 people were killed in the floods in Kerala 6 years ago
Earlier, 483 people died in the natural disaster that struck Kerala in August 2018. This disaster was called the ‘flood of the century’ of the state. Not only people lost their lives in the tragedy, but property and livelihood were also destroyed. The central government had declared the 2018 flood as a ‘disaster of serious nature’. After this accident, more than 14.50 lakh people from 3.91 lakh families were rehabilitated in relief camps. A total of 57,000 hectares of agricultural crops were destroyed.