WAYANAD: A major search operation has commenced in Wayanad district to find those still missing after the devastating landslides that struck on July 30. The operation, which began on Friday, involves survivors and relatives of the victims alongside rescue workers.
The landslides, which hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala hamlets, have left 131 people unaccounted for. The search was planned as a day-long effort but will conclude at 11 am due to the area needing to be handed over to the Special Protection Group (SPG) in preparation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit on Saturday.
Authorities have included four members from each relief camp to aid in locating and identifying missing individuals. The search operation, which is organized into six zones in the disaster-affected areas, will resume on Sunday, according to Minister P A Mohammed Riyas.
"We need to end the search operation today due to security reasons, but it will continue on Sunday," Riyas stated.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan highlighted that the inclusion of relatives in the search team represents a "last-ditch effort" after exhausting all other avenues. The current death toll from the landslides has risen to 226.
The government has mobilized excavators and other equipment, with hundreds of rescue workers participating in the ongoing effort.