“Wayanad Landslide: Final Rescue Push Amid Grim Toll”

Wayanad : Kerala ADGP (Law and Order) Ajith Kumar announced on Tuesday that rescue and search operations in Wayanad, following the devastating landslides on July 30, are nearing completion. The catastrophic event has claimed over 300 lives and caused extensive property damage.

Ajith Kumar stated that most of the accessible land areas have been covered, and the focus will now shift to the more inaccessible regions. The search operations have entered their eighth day, with a mission to reach these challenging areas with the help of forest officials who are familiar with the terrain.

Today’s efforts will concentrate on riverside and valley areas. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, commandos will be airdropped to specific locations. The team, consisting of trained SOG commandos, plans to search within 6 km of Soochipara Waterfalls. Any bodies found will be airlifted. A special team will conduct a scanning mission along the Chaliyar River using a helicopter.

As of August 2, the death toll stands at 308, with 226 bodies and 181 body parts recovered. Around 180 people are still missing. Environment Ministry sources indicated that numerous projects in Wayanad were approved without thorough studies of the district’s topography and geomorphology. Scientists attribute the disaster to a combination of forest cover loss, mining in fragile terrain, and climate change.