Southern Naval Command Dispatches Relief Team to Wayanad; Heavy Rainfall Warning for Five Kerala Districts

The Southern Naval Command dispatched a disaster relief team of 68 personnel from INS Zamorin at Ezhimala to the landslide-affected areas in Kerala’s Wayanad. The massive landslides, which struck Chooralmala and Mundakkai areas on Tuesday, have resulted in the tragic loss of over 150 lives, including women and children.

Responding to a request from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), the team was deployed at 2:30 pm on July 30, 2024, and reached the site by 10 pm the same day. The team is equipped with medical personnel and necessary equipment. Additional teams are on standby for further deployment. An Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) detachment configured for Search and Rescue (SAR) was also deployed from Kochi to Calicut to aid the rescue efforts.

The Indian Army’s Southern Command has started preparations to erect a bridge on the Meppadi-Chooralmala Road, with bridging assets and a dog squad from Delhi having arrived at Kannur Airport. These efforts are in coordination with local authorities to ensure swift and organized relief operations.

Adverse weather conditions due to continuous rainfall are posing significant challenges in the rescue operations. The regional meteorological department has issued heavy rainfall warnings for several districts, including Wayanad, with an Orange Alert for Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod, and a Yellow Alert for other districts.

The Kerala government is compiling a list of those affected by the landslides, based on ration cards and mustering records of plantations. Camps will continue, and comprehensive rehabilitation measures are being planned. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a meeting to review rescue operations and will visit Wayanad on August 1 for a state-level all-party meeting. Union Minister George Kurian and a delegation of nine state ministers are also assessing the relief efforts.

Currently, 1200 rescue workers from various agencies, including the Indian Army, DSC Centre, Territorial Army, NDRF, Indian Navy, and IAF, are involved in the rescue operations. Navy teams from Ezhimala Naval Base have arrived in Chooralmala, and an Army canine unit is assisting in locating bodies buried under debris. The Indian Coast Guard is actively engaged in rescue and relief operations.

Hundreds of people remain missing in the aftermath of the landslides. Over 3000 people have been rehabilitated in 45 camps set up in Wayanad district.