Wayanad (Kerala) [India], July 31 (HBTV): After the devastating landslides that struck early Tuesday morning in Mundakkai and Chooralmala, Wayanad, officials have confirmed a death toll of 167.
The landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala, Wayanad, have resulted in 167 confirmed deaths. According to sources from the Department of Information and Public Relations (PRD) Control Room in Wayanad, 96 victims have been identified, which includes 77 men, 67 women, and 22 children.
Post-mortem examinations have been conducted on 166 bodies and 49 body parts. A total of 75 bodies have been handed over to relatives.
Rescue operations have brought 219 individuals to hospitals; 78 are still receiving treatment, while 142 have been moved to relief camps. In Wayanad, 73 people are hospitalised, and five in Malappuram.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday that rescue operations in Wayanad district are continuing at full scale.
A total of 1,592 people have been rescued through extensive and coordinated rescue operations, he said. "Rescue operations in Wayanad are continuing at full scale. This is an unprecedented and painful disaster," he added.
Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's claim that the state did not heed the timely weather warnings given to it, Vijayan said it was not a time for blame games.
"Media provides accurate warnings, and weather alerts are always taken seriously in the state. This is not the time for mutual accusations. The facts are clear to everyone. An orange alert was in place in the area where the disaster occurred. In the first 24 hours, 200 millimetres of rain fell. In the next 24 hours, 372 millimetres of rain fell. A total of 572 millimetres of rain was recorded over 48 hours, exceeding the warning levels," the Chief Minister said.
Vijayan said that no red alert was issued for the area before the disaster. "A red alert was only issued at 6 am on the day of the disaster. The red alert was issued only after the landslide occurred. The severe weather warning and red alert were given on the morning of July 30, after the landslide.”
The Kerala chief minister said the Central Water Commission did not issue any flood warnings for the Punnappra River or Chaliyar River from July 23-29. This is the fact and the statements made in the Parliament were factually incorrect, the chief minister said.
Speaking in Rajya Sabha earlier on Wednesday, the Union Home Minister stated, "Early warning was given, that is why on July 23, we sent nine teams of NDRF and three more were sent yesterday. Had they become alert the day the NDRF teams landed, a lot could have been saved. But this is the time to stand with the government and the people of Kerala. Irrespective of the party politics, the Narendra Modi government will stand with the people of Kerala."
(ANI)