Kerala landslide: Govt announces 2-day mourning; death toll rises to 84

NDRF personnel engaged in rescue operations following Wayanad landslides. Pic/PTI

The Kerala government has declared official mourning in the state on Tuesday and Wednesday after 84 people lost their lives in the Wayanad landslide incident.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced statewide mourning for two days: today and tomorrow, after at least 70 people lost their lives in a landslide incident in Wayanad, reported ANI.

According to the ANI report, the Kerala Revenue Minister's office informed that the death toll has increased to 84 in the Kerala landslide incident and a total of 116 injuries have been reported so far.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army column reached the Kerala landslide site at Chooralmala by noon. Using ropes, soldiers are being ferried across the river, which is in spate, to assist and carry out rescue efforts in Ward No. 10 of Chooralmala, according to ANI.

Union Minister of State George Kurian is reportedly heading to Wayanad to lead relief and rescue operations. On the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the minister will coordinate with National Disaster Relief Force personnel, paramilitary forces, Kerala Government officials and other agencies in the operation.

As per the news agency report, Kerala Forest Minister Saseendran reached the affected area to assess the damage and coordinate immediate response measures. State Minister Ramachandran Kadannappalli is expected to join the efforts on the ground.

In addition, a delegation of state ministers of Revenue, Public Works, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Departments are travelling by air from Thiruvananthapuram and are expected to reach the site soon, as per the Kerala chief minister's office.

According to the ANI report, around 200 Indian Army personnel from DSC Centre Kannur and 122 TA Battalion from Kozhikode were dispatched to the site. The 122 TA battalion has now arrived at the incident site and is assisting in relief operations. A team of 30 specialist swimmers from the Indian Navy has been deployed to the site of Kerala landslide. Two helicopters from Air Force station Sulur have also been dispatched, as per the Defence officials.

NDRF teams are also part of the relief operations. S Shankar Pandian, Deputy Commandant, NDRF, said, "Our teams are located at various locations in Wayanad. Even in Kozhikode, a landslide was suspected, and the and the NDRF team is deployed there. Already, three teams of the NDRF are in Wayanad. We are doing our best to carry out rescue efforts. We are facing difficulty reaching interior parts in the landslide-affected area," reported ANI.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for eight districts in the state for heavy rainfall. A red alert has been issued for the Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod districts. An orange alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts for today, reported ANI.

(With inputs from ANI)