A week after the devastating landslides, the Wayanad district administration organized a mass burial ceremony on Monday for the unidentified victims in the Puthumala region. The ceremony included a multi-faith prayer service and began at around 3 pm.
Speaking to ANI, Kerala Minister K. N. Balagopal addressed the situation regarding missing bodies and body parts of the landslide victims, stating, “We cannot give an exact number of missing body parts… There is a mass burial going on for unidentified bodies.”
Puthumala, a village near Chooralmala, had also experienced a landslide in 2019. The rescue and relief operations in Wayanad have now entered their seventh consecutive day. According to the State Health Ministry, as of August 2, the death toll stands at 308, with 220 bodies recovered and 180 people still missing.
A total of 53 relief camps have been set up in Wayanad, accommodating 6,759 people, including 1,983 families, 2,501 males, 2,677 females, 1,581 children, and 20 pregnant women. The government has established 16 camps in Meppadi and other gram panchayats, which include 9 shelters and 7 rescue camps. These camps currently house 2,514 people, including 723 families, 943 males, 972 females, 599 children, and six pregnant women.
Additional rescue camps have been set up at various schools and colleges, including SDMLP School, D-Paul Public School at Kalpetta, RCLP School at Chundel, GHS School near Rippon, WMO College at Muttil, Rippon New Building, and Arappatta.
The massive landslides struck Chooralmala and Mundakkai in Wayanad on July 30, causing significant loss of life and property. Late Sunday night, the district administration conducted the mass burial of the unidentified victims’ remains. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had previously instructed the district administration to carry out the burial with interfaith prayers.
