Kerala landslides: Search operations to continue after rains, says minister

The extensive search operations in Wayanad to find those who are still missing in the aftermath of the landslides in the hilly district recently, was stopped on Sunday after heavy rains in the Mundakkai and Chooralmala regions.
 

Members of the cabinet sub-committee, who met the media said a detailed search will be conducted on August 12 and 13 to find those who are missing in the devastating landslides in Wayanad.
 

State Minister P A Mohammed Riyas said a 190-member team comprising NDRF, police, fire force, Civil Defence Force, Forest Department, rescue workers among others will take part in the search operation at five zones.
 

He said a total of 253 rental houses have been identified to rehabilitate the survivors of the landslide.
 

"The rehabilitation process will be held only after consulting with the survivors. Eighteen teams are currently conducting surveys at the 14 relief camps. The survivors can select the panchayat they prefer," the minister added.
 

Basic furniture and other necessary home appliances will be made available, he said.
 

The cabinet sub-committee also informed that a total of 2,000 people, including the families and survivors in the disaster, took part in the massive search operation on Sunday.
 

Three body parts were recovered from Kanthanpara forest region.
 

According to the state government, the landslides killed 229 people, while over 130 are still missing. The minister said 51 bodies are yet to be identified.
 

Currently there are 1,770 people housed in 15 relief camps. This includes 673 women and 439 children.
 

The Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) will hold a special camp on Monday in disaster-struck regions to retrieve the official documents including ID cards of the survivors who have lost everything.
 

The search operations took a break on Friday afternoon as the area was handed over to the SPG in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the disaster-hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala regions on Saturday.


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