With the search operations in Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages in the final phase, rehabilitation of those affected by the catastrophic landslides is the major challenge ahead for the authorities.
Currently, 889 people — from 274 families — who were rescued or evacuated from the disaster-stricken areas are housed in eight relief camps in Meppadi.
Though the state government has announced plans to establish a township in a secure area for those affected, identifying suitable land for the purpose could well prove to be a daunting task.
A volunteer takes a look at the picture of the feet of an unidentified
landslide victim displayed on the wall of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
Community Hall at Meppadi in Wayanad.Meanwhile, even a week after the tragedy, confusion prevails on the exact number of deceased, though official records put the toll at 226.
Unidentified bodies being buried at the mass burial ground at Puthumala tea estate. Thirty bodies and 154 body parts were buried.Around 200 people are still missing. Also, the exact loss and extent of the disaster are yet to be estimated.
Ambulances taking unidentified bodies and body parts to the mass burial ground at Puthumala in Wayanad.The search teams recovered six more bodies from the Vellarmala village office area and near the Punnapuzha river in Chooralmala.
Mass burial under way at Puthumala in Wayanad on Monday night.Meanwhile, officials said a rehabilitation scheme modelled on the Puthumala project is being considered.
However, residents said the 2019 landslide, which claimed 17 lives, remains a haunting memory, with many promises still unfulfilled.
So far, rescue workers have recovered 150 bodies from Wayanad and 76 from Nilambur. A total of 181 body parts have been recovered -- 24 from Wayanad and 157 from Nilambur.