Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the landslide-affected areas in Wayanad on August 10.
During a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, the Chief Minister stated that the state government has requested the central government to declare the situation a national disaster and a severe calamity.
Massive landslides struck Chooralmala and Mundakkai in Wayanad on July 30, causing extensive devastation. "In this regard, the central government has appointed a nine-member committee to submit a report.
The committee chairman visited today, and we hope to receive central assistance for rehabilitation," the Chief Minister said. "We expect the Prime Minister to understand the situation firsthand and adopt a favourable stance," he added.
Chief Minister Vijayan also provided an update on the ongoing search and recovery efforts. "Officially, 225 deaths have been confirmed. The body parts of 195 individuals have been found in various locations. DNA samples of these body parts have been sent for testing. The search is still ongoing. Post-mortems have been conducted on 420 bodies, 178 bodies have been handed over to relatives, and 233 burials have taken place," he said.
The Chief Minister addressed the influx of clothing donations, noting that around seven tons of clothing had been received at the collection centre in Wayanad, most of which were used and unsuitable for distribution. "There is no need to collect and send materials to the camps. Seven tons of clothing have arrived at the collection centre in Wayanad, but none of it is usable as it consists entirely of used clothes. All seven tons of clothing had to be sent for processing, which has become a nuisance," he stated.
Commending the support received for the CM's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), CM Vijayan acknowledged the generous donations from the South Indian film industry and the broader Kerala community. "We are receiving substantial support for the CMDRF from the South Indian film industry. It is heartening to see the entire state of Kerala coming together to uplift Wayanad," he said.
Earlier, a special team consisting of army personnel, SOG officials, and forest officials conducted a search operation at Sunrise Valley in Soojippara, inside the forest. The Indian Army is set to leave Wayanad after completing a ten-day-long rescue operation, with the search efforts being handed over to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire Force, and Kerala Police.
