Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka visit landslide site in Wayanad, meet affected people

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, along with party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, visited the landslide site at Chooralmala in Kerala’s Wayanad. The Congress leaders took stock of the situation in the area and met the affected people.

As many as 256 people have died so far after three landslides struck Wayanad on Tuesday, following heavy rain. Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages in the Kerala district were the worst affected due to the landslides.

Over 200 people are also injured in the landslides. The Army has rescued around 1,000 people and 220 people are still missing, as rescue operations entered the third day on Thursday.

A Command and Control Centre has been set up in Kozhikode by the Army for coordinating Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts, PTI reported. Kerala Health Minister Veena George said, "At least 1,500 Army personnel have been deployed for the rescue operation. We have deployed forensic surgeons."

The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted more rain for Wayanad and several other districts over the next couple of days. A red alert for heavy rain has been issued for Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod districts.

Several countries, including the US, Russia, China and Iran, expressed condolences over the deaths due to landslides.

Source: India Today