Massive landslides hit Kerala's Wayanad; several feared trapped

Rescue operations at Chooralmala in Wayanad district. , Photo Credit: PRD

A massive landslide at Chooralmala near Mepadiin the Wayanad district during the wee hours of July 30 buried a large area under debris, sparking fear that several people might have gone missing.

Also Read: Rain continues to wreak havoc in Wayanad

Officials sources at the spot said the Chooralmala town and many houses, vehicles and shops have submerged in water after a landslide in the area around 2 am on Wednesday. It is reported that three bodies have been recovered so far and the toll may rise. More than 400 people were stranded in the area.

Quoting local residents, sources said the nearby areas have been buried under mud and rubble. An NDRF team, Fire and Rescue personnel, Police and Forest officials with the support of the local people have been engaged in rescue operations. They rescued and shifted ten persons to a hospital. Many residents have been evacuated from the area to the nearby relief camps.

Heavy rain and road blockades are hampering rescue operations and there is no power supply. Sources said that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have been deployed to the area as soon as the team arrived in the district and efforts are on to restore road connectivity. Meanwhile, incessant rains claimed one more life in Wayanad and inundated several areas. A one-year-old child of a Nepali couple working on a farm at Kunhome was killed in the landslip at Cheruvayal near Thondarnadu in the district.

Track latest updates from the Wayanad landslides here

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