Wayanad landslides: Death toll rises to 231, says Kerala minister

One more body and three more body parts were recovered on Monday as part of the massive search operation held in the aftermath of the devastating landslides at Wayanad.

State Revenue Minister K Rajan said the death toll in the July 30 landslides has increased to 231. A total of 205 body parts have also been recovered so far.

The Minister said the search by multiple teams will continue downstream of the river in the coming days.

"Today the body was recovered during the search in the Nilambur region, while the body parts were recovered from Kanthanpara region," Rajan told the media here.

 

He said a total of 236 volunteers took part in the search operations on Monday, along with the NDRF, Police, Fire Force, and Forest Department teams.

Rajan said a detailed combing of the Chaliyar River will continue on Tuesday also.

"A 60-member team comprising officials from the NDRF, Fire Force, Police, Forest Department is engaged in the river-based search operations. Volunteers and others are not allowed in this operation," Rajan added.

The Minister informed that there are 14 camps functioning in the landslides-hit region in which 587 families are housed.

"A total of 1,722 people are housed, including two pregnant women and 422 children," he added.

Over 130 are still missing, the state government had said.

On the matter of temporary rehabilitation of the people housed in various relief camps, Rajan said the process will be completed in the month of August itself.

"Those in the relief camps will be temporarily rehabilitated soon and provided with rented houses. We are not sending people to random places. Their rehabilitation is arranged in a scientific manner," Rajan said.

He further said there were 21 people who were orphaned, of whom five are men, 10 women, and six were under the age of 18.

"We cannot let each of them stay alone at a rented place. There are some families with just two members. Some families have five members. The houses need to be arranged accordingly," he added.

He said some families prefer to stay with their relatives.

"A proper rental policy will be announced by the chief minister soon. The government will complete the rehabilitation in August itself. The camp inmates do not have to worry about the rent or the rental house. The state government will find the houses and give the rent on behalf of the families," the minister said.

Major landslides hit the Mundakkai and Chooralamala regions of Wayanad on July 30 almost decimating both the areas.