Wayanad Landslide: Kerala Church to Build 100 Homes for Victims

The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Committee (KCBC) has announced plans to construct 100 homes for those affected by landslides in Wayanad, specifically in Churalmala, Mundakai, and Kozhikode Vilangad areas. This initiative, led by Cardinal Basilios Clemis Katholika Bawa, was decided during a meeting held on August 5 at Mount St. Thomas in Kakkanad.

The project will see collaboration among dioceses, monastic communities, church institutions, and individual members of the Kerala Catholic Church. In the initial phase, 100 families who have lost their homes and belongings will receive new housing, equipped with essential appliances, at locations designated by the government.

Additionally, expert medical services and trauma counseling from church-run hospitals will be provided. The Kerala Social Service Forum, part of the church’s social service arm, will oversee the relief efforts in collaboration with the Justice Peace and Development Commission of KCBC.

The church’s relief work will be conducted following the guidelines of the Kerala Disaster Management Department. The KCBC expressed its solidarity with those affected, acknowledging that while words may not fully ease the suffering, the community’s support is evident through the promises of aid.

Meanwhile, Kerala ADGP (Law and Order) MR Ajith Kumar reported that rescue and search operations for the landslides, which have claimed over 300 lives in Wayanad, are nearing completion. Most of the accessible areas have been covered, and the focus will now shift to more difficult-to-reach locations. As of August 2, the official death toll stands at 308, with 226 bodies and 181 body parts recovered, while 180 people remain missing.