Ongoing Search Operations in Wayanad; PM Modi to Visit Affected Areas

Search efforts continue in Wayanad following the devastating July 30 landslides, which claimed 225 lives. Local authorities, volunteers, and rescue teams remain active, as PM Modi plans to visit on August 10. The Kerala High Court is also examining the disaster for legal measures against contributing factors.

Search operations will persist in the areas impacted by the Wayanad landslides of July 30, which resulted in 225 fatalities and displaced thousands. Teams from Fire Force, NDRF, and local volunteers, alongside residents, continue their rescue missions.

Residents bid adieu to the Indian Army contingent, including their Dog squad, as they conclude their lengthy search, rescue, and restoration operations. IG North Zone, K Sethuraman, emphasized that the ongoing operations aim to reassure affected individuals that every effort is being made to locate any remaining bodies.

The Kerala High Court has taken suo moto cognizance of the landslides, with Justices Jayasankaran Nambiar and VM Shyamkumar urging legal measures to counteract issues like illegal mining and flooding. Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the affected areas on August 10. The Chief Minister has requested the central government to declare the event a national disaster and a severe calamity.

He further reported that post-mortem examinations have been conducted on 420 bodies, with 178 handed over to relatives. The search operations, which have confirmed 225 deaths, continue, as DNA tests on body parts of 195 individuals are underway.

(With inputs from agencies.)