Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka leave for Wayanad; death toll in landslide crosses 250 | Top Updates

Wayanad landslides: Rescue operations are continuing with the army, navy, and coast guard searching at Attamala, Mundakkai, and Churalmala.

Updated on: Aug 1, 2024, 10:31:27 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra left Delhi for Kerala's Wayanad on Thursday morning to assess the situation following devastating landslides. The death toll has risen to around 250, with hundreds still missing.

Survivors of the landslide console each other as they rest at a relief camp in Wayanad, in India's Kerala state on July 31, 2024. (Photo by Idrees MOHAMMED / AFP) (AFP)

Former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi, who will be running in the upcoming by-elections, will meet with families affected by the recent landslides. The landslides struck Mundakkai and Churalmala in Wayanad in the early hours of July 30, causing large scale damage. The death toll has reached 256.

ALSO READ- Kerala: Wayanad landslides linked to warming of Arabian Sea? What climate expert said

Wayanad landslides latest updates

• An all-party meeting chaired by Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be held in Wayanad on Thursday to discuss the ongoing search and rescue operations. State ministers, Wayanad MLAs, and political party leaders will participate in the meeting to coordinate efforts in the landslide-affected areas.

• Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan called landslides "colossal tragedy" and expressed sympathy for the affected.

ALSO READ- Opposition urge Centre to declare Wayanad landslides a ‘national disaster’

• Construction of a 190-foot-long Bailey bridge is underway to connect the worst-hit areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala and intensify rescue operations.

• Union home minister Amit Shah alleged that the Kerala government did not act promptly on the central government's warning about potential landslides.

• Kerala CM Vijayan refuted Amit Shah's claim, stating that only an orange alert was issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and the rainfall exceeded predictions.

• Rescue efforts have so far saved 1,386 people, including 528 men, 559 women, and 299 children, who were moved to seven camps after landslides. 201 people were hospitalised, with 90 still undergoing treatment.

• Rescue operations are continuing with the army, navy, and coast guard searching at Attamala, Mundakkai, and Churalmala.

• Authorities are using sniffer dogs and an intelligent buried object detection system to locate people buried under the soil.

ALSO READ- Wayanad landslides: 2 doctors who went to Kerala for vacation missing; search on

• Financial assistance is being mobilised with CM Vijyan called upon everyone to contribute to the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF). He said that Lulu Group Chairman M A Yusuff Ali, leading industrialist Ravi Pillai, Kalyan Jewellers owner Kalyana Raman, KSFE and the Adani Group have announced financial assistance to the tune of ₹5 crore each.

• Russian president Vladimir Putin sent condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu for the lives lost and injuries caused by the landslides.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.