Wayanad Landslide: Rescue Operation Reaches Final Stage On Seventh Day (image-twitter/prodefencejammu)
The search and rescue operation in landslide-affected areas of Wayanad district, which took the lives of more than 407 people, has reached its final stages on the seventh day.
The rescue mission will now be concentrated on the Chaliyar river basin that was inaccessible via traditional means. A special team of 12 personnel from the Army and Forest Department is deployed. As per the official reports, around 180 people are missing from Mundakkai and Chooralmala.
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So far, on the seventh day, six bodies were recovered. Revenue minister K Rajan said to local media that the list of the missing people will be prepared with the help of local bodies. As per present estimate 154 persons are missing and the data purification has begun, the minister said.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) MR Ajithkumar said that the search operations were entering the last stages and on land, only places where the mud is nearly 50 meters deep are left to be scanned.
A total of 1,174 personnel were deployed from various forces for rescue and search mission. The rescue workers have so far recovered 150 bodies from Wayand and 76 from Nilambur, and all recovered 181 body parts, including 24 from Wayanad and 157 from Nilambur.
The Kerala government on Monday announced that it will implement a comprehensive rehabilitation package for the people of Wayanad.
Meanwhile, several people apart from government across the world has offered assistance for the rehabilitation efforts.
The officials have also informed that the lands will be acquired, houses constructed and other infrastructure facilities required for the rehabilitation would be set up at the earliest.
The authorities had to seek unmanned aerial vehicles to transport food packets to areas that remained inaccessible by traditional means. They have also employed modern drones that can carry food packets for up to 10 people at a time.
The state government has constituted 10 assessment teams to conduct rapid visual screening (RVS) of the impact of the landslide on the buildings in Wayanad.
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The team will visit every single building in the region and will assess the stability of the buildings and any potential threats that it may cause to the buildings will be assessed.
The buildings that will be classified as structurally fit will be ascertained for public health-related status too. The team is expected to complete the RVS on or before August 12.
