Rescue Efforts Intensify in Wayanad Landslide Aftermath

Rescue operations in Wayanad, hit by devastating landslides, continue with intensified efforts. Authorities use drones to locate buried bodies, with significant findings reported. The Kerala state debates labeling the event as a 'national disaster,' discussing fund donations. Senior officials and ministers oversee the rescue and rehabilitation, ensuring swift response and transparency.

Rescue operations in the landslide-hit Wayanad district of Kerala continued for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday, with authorities ramping up efforts to recover bodies and prepare a mass grave for unidentified remains. Discussions on donations to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund and the classification of the calamity as a 'national disaster' are ongoing.

More personnel and equipment, including a drone-based Intelligent Buried Object Detection System, were deployed in areas with high potential for finding bodies. Hundreds of rescue personnel from various forces, including the NDRF, Army, and Navy, were involved.

State Revenue Minister K Rajan reported that 221 bodies and 166 body parts have been recovered. The Chaliyar river, flowing through Wayanad, has become a grim symbol of destruction, with 208 bodies and body parts retrieved from its banks. Efforts continue with senior officials examining the legality of declaring the event a 'national disaster.'