Wayanad landslides death toll crosses 200

The death toll in the landslides that devastated Chooral Mala and Mundakkai areas near Meppadi in Wayanad district of Kerala crossed 200 as the search and rescue operations gained momentum on Wednesday.

Personnel of the Army, Defence Security Corps (DSC), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the Forest and Fire and Rescue Service picked through the debris strewn across the affected areas with the support of volunteers and rescue equipment, including earth movers.

Searing visuals of bodies being pulled out of the rubble, people desperately searching for their loved ones, and terrified survivors recounting their ordeal filled television screens and social media platforms throughout the day.

A total of 167 bodies and 61 body parts were retrieved by Wednesday evening. As many as 191 persons were reported missing. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said 1,592 persons were rescued from the ravaged sites in two days and admitted to various hospitals. Ninety-nine persons were undergoing treatment, and the remaining people were shifted to various relief camps.

The heavy layer of slush and the slippery terrain adversely affected the progress of the search.