Wayanad landslides: Army recovers 70 bodies, rescues 1,000 people

NEW DELHI: Military personnel on Wednesday intensified search and rescue operations in Kerala's Wayanad district, where landslides have claimed more than 100 lives, with the Army saying that it has recovered around 70 bodies and rescued nearly 1,000 people so far.

Extremely heavy rain triggered the landslides in the hilly areas of Wayanad early Tuesday, leaving at least 132 people dead and more than 200 injured.

Four columns from the Defence Security Corps (DSC) Centre, Kannur, and 122 TA Battalion are conducting combined rescue operations along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state rescue teams, a senior Army official said.

Around 70 bodies have been recovered by the Army so far and approximately 1,000 people have been rescued, the official said.

Two Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) columns, including two medical teams, were airlifted from Trivandrum to Kozhikode by AN32 and C-130 aircraft. They arrived at Kozhikode airport late Tuesday night and stayed overnight, the Army said.

Movement of fuel and other administrative stores is planned by road, the officials said.

Brig Arjun Seagan, Commandant of the PARA Regiment Training Centre, arrived with his team late Tuesday night. They conducted a reconnaissance of a potential bridge site and established a control centre for coordinating the Army's HADR efforts, supported by the commandant of the DSC Centre, they said.

Heavy engineering equipment and rescue dog teams were airlifted and disaster relief teams were dispatched by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Tuesday.

The state government has requested the deployment of a 690-ft Bailey bridge. Currently, up to 330 feet of the bridge is being moved from the Madras Engineer Group Centre, Bengaluru, by road. The remaining parts are being airlifted from Delhi Cantonment, the Army had said late on Tuesday.

The Indian Army is coordinating closely with state authorities to ensure swift and effective relief efforts, the officials said.

"Construction of a bridge on the Meepadi-Chooralmala Road will commence, including the induction of certain earthmoving equipment to the other side of the stream utilising air effort," the Army said on Wednesday.

A Navy spokesperson here said that on a request from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), the Kochi-based Southern Naval Command (SNC) dispatched a disaster relief team comprising 68 personnel from INS Zamorin at Ezhimala to the landslide-hit site on Tuesday.

The rescue team comprising skilled personnel along with a medical team and necessary equipment reached the site at 10 pm on Tuesday. Additional teams have been kept on standby for deployment at short notice and will be mobilised as required, he said.

An advanced light helicopter (ALH) detachment in search and rescue (SAR) configuration was deployed from Kochi to Calicut at 7.30 am on Wednesday to augment the rescue efforts, the spokesperson said.

The adverse weather conditions due to incessant rains pose challenges in the area. All-out efforts are underway to provide immediate relief and support to the local populace impacted by the disaster, the official said.