Wayanad Landslide: Massive landslide kill 100, Rescue more than 450 and operation ongoing

Approximately 123 people have lost their lives, and many more are feared trapped following devastating landslides triggered by heavy rains in Kerala’s Wayanad district.

The landslides struck the hilly regions of Meppali, ChooralMala and Mundakkai region early Tuesday morning, catching most residents while they were asleep.

Rescue efforts by NDRF and Army personals are ongoing but are severely hampered by continuous rain and the collapse of a vital bridge. More than 450 people were rescued and operation going on.
Authorities are concerned that the death toll could increase as around 100 people remain inaccessible to emergency services.

Wayanad is a hilly district which is part of the Western Ghats mountain range. This district highly prone to landslides during the monsoon season.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared on Twitter that he had spoken with Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, assuring the Central government’s support in the relief efforts. He also announced compensation of 200,000 rupees for the families of the victims and 50,000 rupees for the injured.

The search operations took a break on August 9 afternoon as the area was handed over to the SPG in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the disaster-hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala regions on Saturday.