Page 5 - Landslide

Karnataka will construct 100 houses for victims in Wayanad: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday announced that Karnataka will construct 100 houses for victims in landslide-hit Wayanad. Taking to the social media post 'X', Siddaramaiah said in light of the tragic landslide in Wayanad, Karnataka stands in solidarity with Kerala. "I have assured CM Shri @pinarayivijayan of our support and announced that Karnataka will construct 100 houses for the victims. Together, we will rebuild and restore hope," he said. As many as 215 people have died and over 500 were injured in the massive landslides that hit Wayanad district in the wee hours of July 30. Around 300 people are suspected to be missing, and rescue operators are battling adverse conditions, including waterlogged soil, as they search through destroyed homes and buildings.

FinMin tells insurers to expedite claims for Wayanad landslide victims

The finance ministry on Saturday asked public sector insurance companies including Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to speedily disburse the claim amount to landslide victims and their families in Wayanad and other districts of Kerala. The insurance companies have initiated efforts for reaching out to their policyholders through various channels (local newspapers, social media, company websites, sms, etc) to provide the contact details for assistance in the districts of Wayanad, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Thrissur, where a significant number of claims are being reported, the finance ministry said in a post on X. "In view of the unfortunate landslide incident and heavy rains in Kerala, the government has mandated the Public Sector Insurance companies (PSICs), including LIC, National Insurance Corporation, New India Assurance, Oriental Insurance, and United India Insurance to extend all possible support to the victims of the calamity so that the insurance claims can

Actor Mohanlal reaches Wayanad, pledges Rs 3 cr for rehabilitation works

Well-known actor Mohanlal, who is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army, on Saturday reached landslide-hit Wayanad, donning his army uniform and pledged Rs three crore for the rehabilitation works of the disaster-hit region. The actor, who reached the Army camp at Meppadi, held a brief discussion with the officers and left for the landslide-hit zone along with others. He visited Chooralmala, Mundakkai and Punchirimattom, among other places, and interacted with the various rescue workers, including the Army and the locals, to get an understanding of the gravity of the incident. Speaking to the media, Mohanlal said the magnitude of the disaster can only be understood by witnessing it firsthand. "The magnitude of the landslide can only be comprehended by witnessing it firsthand. The Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the NDRF, the Fire and Rescue, the other organisations, locals etc who all are part of the rescue operations have done a wonderful job," he said. The acto

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal visits landslide-hit Wayanad in Army uniform

Mohanlal, who was conferred the Lt Colonel post in the territorial army in 2009, was spotted donning his army uniform as he reached the Army camp at Meppadi

Wayanad landslides: State govt issues guidelines for burial of remains

As more and more bodies and body parts are recovered from the landslide-hit areas of this north Kerala district with many remaining unidentified or unclaimed, the state government has issued guidelines, including collection of DNA and dental samples, for burial of the remains. According to the guidelines issued by the Disaster Management Department, an identification number shall be assigned to each body or body part and the same shall be clearly mentioned in all the samples, photographs or videos of the remains and the record of material objects associated with the body. It further said that police shall make all possible efforts to identify the bodies or body parts and if identification was not possible, they shall release the body to the district administration for further action after 72 hours from the time of inquest. "The district administration shall inform Meppadi panchayat and the panchayat or municipality in which the burial site is located. In cases where the doctor ...

Wayanad landslides: Search, rescue ops enter Day 5, death toll at 308

The death toll in the massive landslides that occurred on July 30 in Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Wayanad stands at 308 as of Friday, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said

Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden extend condolences over Wayanad landslides

As per the officials, 210 bodies and 134 body parts have been recovered till now which includes 96 males, 85 females and 29 children

Centre issues fresh ESA draft for Western Ghats following Wayanad disaster

The Centre has issued a fresh draft notification to declare over 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across six states, including 13 villages in Kerala's landslide-hit Wayanad, an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), inviting suggestions and objections within 60 days. The notification, issued on July 31, came a day after a series of landslides claimed over 300 lives in Wayanad district. Scientists from Kerala and beyond attribute the disaster to a deadly mix of forest cover loss, mining in the fragile terrain and climate change. The draft notification proposes to declare 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala, including 13 villages in two talukas of the landslide-hit district, as ecologically sensitive. These villages are Periya, Thirunelli, Thondernad, Thrissilery, Kidanganad and Noolpuzha in Mananthavady taluka, and Achooranam, Chundel, Kottappadi, Kunnathidavaka, Pozhuthana, Thariyod and Vellarimala in Vythiri taluka. The July 30 landslides affected Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Attamal

Army's Jaki, Dixie, Sara search life under ruins in landslides-hit Wayanad

Three Labrador dogs from the Indian Army -- Jaki, Dixie, and Sara -- are working tirelessly to help locate survivors trapped under the debris in Kerala's landslide-ravaged areas of Wayanad district. These highly trained canine companions are working alongside their human counterparts, braving challenging conditions like mud, slush and rain, to sniff out lives buried beneath the rubble. The dogs are using their keen sense of smell to help find survivors trapped in the rubble. "Human's Best Friend works with humans shoulder to should to find humans under the debris in #Wayanad.JAKI, DIXIE & SARA the three #labradordogs of the #IndianArmy are sniffing for lives tirelessly undeterred by mud, slush or rain @giridhararamane #OpMadad," a Defence PRO said in a post on X. The canines were brought from the Dog Training Faculty (DTF) of RVC Centre and College in Meerut Cantt, Uttar Pradesh. The faculty, designated as a centre of excellence in dog training, trains dogs in nine specialties, .

Congress to construct over 100 houses landslide-hit Wayanad: Rahul Gandhi

The Congress leader is currently visiting relief camps in Wayanad, which has been struck by three major landslides

IMD issues red alert for Maharashtra, MP; orange alert for Kerala, Himachal

IMD weather update: The IMD said heavy rainfall is expected in Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Konkan, Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Assam, and Meghalaya

Wayanad landslides: 199 post-mortems conducted so far, says Kerala Govt

In a post on Facebook, Minister George said that additionally, DNA samples of 130 body parts were also taken

Wayanad landslide forecast bulletins experimental: GSI after disaster

Amid reports that its warning system "failed" in landslide-hit Wayanad in Kerala, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on Friday said its regional forecast bulletins for the district were experimental and issued once a day for ground testing. This process was a "part of building a prediction model", which will take 4-5 years to be ready for public use, a GSI official said. "GSI has started issuing regional landslide forecast bulletins on an experimental mode once a day for Wayanad district, Kerala. These are issued only to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) for ground testing since the onset of the 2024 monsoon. It is restricted only to SDMA and DDMA for receiving feedback," a GSI spokesperson told PTI. These forecasts are based on rainfall predictions provided by the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to prepare landslide thresholds, he said. Massi

After facing criticism, Kerala govt withdraws gag order on scientists

The gag order, issued on August 1, directed the scientific community to restrain themselves from sharing their opinions with media

Wayanad landslides: CM says 'nobody left to save'; death toll crosses 300

During a review meeting held in Kalpetta, Wayanad, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that all those who are alive have been saved in the last three days

Death toll rises to 308 in Wayanad landslides, rescue operations underway

Rescue and relief operations coordinated by the Army, NDRF, SDRF and civil administration are underway

Wayanad landslides: 40 teams of rescuers commence search operations

Braving rains and adverse terrain, 40 teams of rescuers began search operations in landslide-hit Wayanad district on the fourth day on Friday, officials said. The search and rescue operations that got underway early morning received an impetus due to the completion of the 190-foot-long Bailey bridge that will enable the movement of heavy machinery, including excavators, and ambulances to the worst-affected Mundakkai and Chooralmala hamlets, they said. The 40 teams will conduct search operations in six zones of the landslides-hit areas -- Attamala and Aaranmala (first), Mundakkai (second), Punchirimattam (third), Vellarimala village (fourth), GVHSS Vellarimala (fifth), and riverbank (sixth). The joint teams will include personnel from the army, NDRF, DSG, Coast Guard, Navy, and MEG along with three locals and one forest department employee. In addition to this, a three-pronged search operation will begin, focusing on the Chaliyar River, according to the rescue plan devised by the ..

Kerala landslides: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka visit Wayanad

Congress leader and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the landslide-affected area of Chooralmala here and a hospital and community health centre in Meppadi on Thursday afternoon. After visiting the spot, Gandhi in a Facebook post said witnessing the scenes of disaster and tragedy deeply pained his heart. "In these difficult times, Priyanka and I stand with the people of Wayanad. We are closely monitoring the relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts, ensuring that all necessary assistance is provided. The UDF is committed to extending all possible support. "The repeated incidents of landslides and natural calamities are extremely concerning. A comprehensive action plan is urgently needed," he said in his post. After reaching Chooralmala, Gandhi and his sister -- donning translucent blue raincoats -- crossed the temporary wooden walkway built there, witnessed the construction of the Bailey bridge and walked around the area braving the rain

Wayanad landslides: Massive rescue ops underway; 256 dead, 191 missing

Rain-triggered landslides struck Wayanad on Tuesday, claiming the lives of at least 256 people and leaving several hundred injured

Kerala landslides: Autopsy count mounts as doctors battle to save survivors

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, are working round the clock in Kerala's landslide-affected Wayanad, grappling with a distressing situation that involves providing critical care to severely injured survivors and performing autopsies on the remains of victims claimed by the catastrophic event. "Until 7 am today, we have completed 256 autopsies, which include body parts as well. So, it's not 256 full bodies, but also includes body parts. We have handed over 154 bodies to the district administration," said State Health Minister Veena George. She explained that autopsies have been performed on bodies that were swept away by the river and recovered from the Pothukal area in Malappuram district. Speaking about the traumatic situations faced by health workers, the minister revealed that over 100 autopsies were performed on Wednesday night. "It's quite unfortunate. Last night, we performed 112 autopsies, I think. I saw a health worker there, and she was crying. She hadn'