THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Confirming that the official death toll in the July 30 Wayanad landslide was 254, Minister K Rajan Informed the Assembly that the search for the 47 people who went missing in the disaster has not been called off.
Minister Rajan was replying to a question from Wandoor MLA AP Anil Kumar, who sought to know the official death toll as the detailed statement on the landslide by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Assembly earlier did not mention it.
The Revenue Minister said 233 bodies and 222 body parts were recovered in the rescue operation. Of these, 177 bodies have been identified and handed over earlier. Another 77 bodies were identified after DNA tests.
"As of now, we have scientifically confirmed the death of 254 people," the Minister said. After the disaster, 124 persons were initially reported missing. Of these, 77 were identified and 47 persons are still missing, he added.
To a question by Kalpetta MLA T Siddique on search operation, the Minister said there were difficulties in announcing that the search operation was over. The government will convene a meeting with MLAs and local body representatives in the worst-hit areas to further discuss the matter, he added.