On Tuesday, members of Congress and the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) in Parliament called for the massive landslides in Wayanad, which resulted in 44 deaths, to be declared a national disaster. CPI-M MP John Brittas requested aid from the Defence, Home, and Finance Ministries.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed his concern over the loss of lives due to the Wayanad landslides and mentioned that both the Central and state governments are taking necessary actions. Union Minister JP Nadda assured that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the central government is actively coordinating with the state to manage the situation. He emphasized that the tragedy is a national concern, and the government is committed to providing all required support. Nadda confirmed that central agencies are on-site assisting with relief efforts.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that he would ask the Home Ministry to provide a detailed update in the House. He noted that Minister of State George Kurien had been dispatched to Kerala early in the morning to assess the situation. Rijiju also highlighted the deployment of the NDRF, SDRF, CAPF, and armed forces.
Kerala Minister MB Rajesh confirmed that 44 people had died in the landslides in Wayanad’s Meppadi area and that 250 individuals had been rescued and relocated to temporary shelters. He reported that rescue operations are being conducted urgently, with the Chief Minister closely overseeing the efforts and sending a team of ministers to Wayanad. The landslide has impacted Meppadi, Mundakkal Town, and Chooralmala, prompting the state government to deploy rescue teams, medical equipment, and health workers to local hospitals.
The Kerala Chief Minister’s office has set up a control room to coordinate immediate relief and rescue operations. Additionally, the Department of Information and Public Relations (PRD), Kerala, has established district and state-level media control rooms to provide continuous updates and official announcements. The district control room, managed by the Kannur and Kozhikode Deputy Directors, is located at the Wayanad Civil Station, with contact number 0483-2734387. The state-level control room at the Secretariat can be reached at 0471-2327628 or 2518637.