Wayanad Landslide: The Indian Army‘s Madras Engineer Group has made some headway into the mission to restore access to affected areas of the devastating landslides that hit Wayanad in Kerala in the wee hours of Tuesday. The MEG has been constructing a temporary Bailey Bridge at Chooralmala, braving inclement weather conditions. This bridge is important for rescue vehicles, equipment, and supplies such as food and water that are needed to reach the marooned town of Mundakkai.
Extensive Damage and Challenges in Mundakkai and Chooralmala
The landslides, which occurred in Mundakkai and Chooralmala, have devastated this region, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Houses are buried under the rubble; roads are blocked by fallen trees and uprooted trees; and water bodies are swelling, making rescue efforts very difficult. So far, according to the Kerala Revenue Department, 167 deaths have been confirmed, and among these, only 96 victims have been identified—77 men, 67 women, and 22 children. Efforts are on to account for all the victims and to render necessary support.
The Indian Army is reinforcing these rescue operations by mobilizing its resources for recovery processes. Naval aero assets are deployed for transporting SDRF and state officials and are placed on standby at Thiruvananthapuram, Sulur, and Thanjavur for air rescue operations.
Mobilizing Resources and Reinforcing Rescue Operations
Meanwhile, medical support, including doctors, nursing assistants, and ambulances from the ECHS Polyclinic in Kalpetta, has been made available to assist in the relief operations. Union Minister George Kurien visited the affected areas to look at the situation and meet with the victims at the relief camps.
The volunteers are currently going through the ruins with all possible intensity in search of survivors as rescue operations continue. That was a mammoth response to the catastrophic landslides and testimony to returning life to normalcy in the afflicted areas: the combined military effort, medical personnel, and volunteers.