KALPETTA: Two thousand people, including volunteers, local residents, camp residents and people’s representatives, participated in the massive search held on Sunday for those missing in the Wayanad landslide. During the search, three body parts were found inside Kanthanpara forest. It will be clear whether it is a human body only after the postmortem. A skeleton has been found in Attamala. It will be checked whether this is human and is connected to the disaster.
As per the district administration, 229 bodies have been found so far and 178 have been identified among them. As many as 51 more people are yet to be identified.
The massive search was held in six zones, including Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Punchirimattam and the Vellarmala village office premises. Hundreds of civil volunteers, including women, participated in the search and even the relatives and survivors from the relief camps joined the teams to assist them in identifying the remains.
Minister P A Mohamed Riyas announced in a press conference on Sunday that a detailed massive search would be conducted at five places on Monday and Tuesday in the Chaliyar area in Malappuram district. A team will conduct a search in a five-kilometre stretch from Munderi Farm to Parappanpara. The search will begin at Munderi Farm area at 7am and end at Parappanpara at 2pm.
A 60-member team consisting of NDRF, Fire and Rescue personnel, Civil Defence Force, police and forest department officials will conduct the search here. Volunteers will not be allowed to search this part of the Chaliyar river as it requires expertise.
Another 50-member team, including 10 volunteers, will conduct the search in the forest area of Panankaya. A 30-member team consisting of 20 volunteers and 10 policemen will conduct searches from Panankaya to Pookottumana and from Pookottumana to Chaliyar Mukku. A 40-member team comprising volunteers will also conduct the search from Iruttukuthi to Kumbalapara.
The minister said 253 rented houses have been found for the temporary rehabilitation of the victims staying in relief camps. About 100 families have expressed their willingness to shift to the rented houses. Decisions regarding temporary rehabilitation will be taken by taking into consideration the opinions of those staying in camps and hospitals.
For rehabilitation
18 groups of officials are taking survey measures in 14 camps
Relief camp inmates can choose which panchayat they want to live in
Rehabilitation of those left alone to be done by appointing a government official as their guardian
