Landslides
Wayanad landslides: Toll crosses 300, rescue operations still on
Thiruvananthapuram/IBNS: The toll in the landslides in Kerala's Wayanad has crossed 300, state Health Minister Veena Geroge confirmed on Friday, media reports said.
The toll has touched 308, as per reports.
The rescue operations are still underway in Chooralmala and Mundakkai in the Meppadi region.
As per a separate report, four survivors have been rescued. Out of four, two are men and the rest women.
The rescue operations are managed by Army, NDRF, SDRF and civil administration.
The search operations by relief teams and dog squads began at 7 am on Friday.
Kerala: Major landslides in Wayanad 's Mundakai Town, causing widespread destruction. A camp school, a house and a school bus reportedly buried under the mud. Rescue operations underway. More than 100 feared trapped. pic.twitter.com/TI9ZLTkZvm
— Pinky Rajpurohit 🇮🇳 (@Madrassan_Pinky) July 30, 2024
Leader of Opposition and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday visited the landslide-affected areas.
Speaking to the media after his survey, Rahul said, "After spending time with the grief-stricken people of Wayanad today, I feel the same profound sorrow I felt the day my father died. Many here have lost their entire families, making their pain even greater.
"The tragedy is immense, and the work required to heal Wayanad is substantial. Now is not the time for politics. The entire country stands with Wayanad in this difficult time. We must unite and work together to provide all the assistance needed to support the people."
After spending time with the grief-stricken people of Wayanad today, I feel the same profound sorrow I felt the day my father died. Many here have lost their entire families, making their pain even greater.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 1, 2024
The tragedy is immense, and the work required to heal Wayanad is… pic.twitter.com/aLnemda8FP
The Wayanad landslides have triggered a war of words between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Kerala government.
While Shah has claimed Kerala was warned about the landslides in advance, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan contradicted it.
Not only was the rain warning way off the mark, but the red alerts also came hours after the Wayanad tragedy, Vijayan told reporters this evening.
Pointing to the continuing rescue work, the Kerala CM said this was "not the time for blame game".
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