Wayanad Landslides Day 5: Rescuers Continue Search as Hopes Dim for 300 Missing

Family Rescued on Fourth Day Offers Glimmer of Hope

Wayanad August 3 2024 : As the search operations enter the fifth day on Saturday, rescue teams, equipped with advanced technical gadgets and cadaver dogs, are tirelessly working to locate survivors or recover bodies buried under the debris of the catastrophic landslides in Wayanad. This disaster is regarded as one of Kerala’s most severe natural calamities.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan shared on Facebook that radars are detecting even the slightest movements, providing a sliver of hope amid the devastation.

  • Death Toll and Hospital Discharges: The number of bodies recovered has increased to 210, with 187 individuals discharged from hospitals. Despite these efforts, around 300 people remain missing, with little hope of finding them alive.
  • Rescue Operations: On the fourth day, a family of four was rescued from an isolated house near Padavetti Kunnu, instilling hope among the hundreds of rescuers. Approximately 40 rescue teams, along with cadaver dogs, are conducting search operations across six zones in the landslide-hit areas. The dogs’ keen sense of smell is crucial in locating survivors trapped under the rubble.
  • Notable Rescues: In a daring operation, forest officers, led by Kalpetta Range Forest Officer K Hashis, trekked deep into the forest to save four toddlers and their parents from a tribal community.
  • Technological Aid: An official reported receiving a “blue signal,” indicating potential breath signs on the radar while searching a house in the severely affected Mundakkai village. However, the search concluded on Friday evening as rescue personnel deemed it unlikely anyone was alive under the debris.
  • Weather Forecast: The India Meteorological Department predicts a generally cloudy sky with occasional spells of rain or thundershowers for Wayanad on Saturday.
  • Condolences from US Leadership: US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden expressed condolences and praised the bravery of Indian service members and first responders. “We mourn with the families who have lost loved ones and continue to hold the people of India in our thoughts during this difficult time,” the White House stated.
  • Ecologically Sensitive Area Notification: The Centre issued a draft notification to declare over 56,800 square kilometers of the Western Ghats, including 13 villages in Wayanad, as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). This announcement followed the landslides that claimed over 300 lives.
  • Political Reactions: The Congress accused the Centre of delaying the ‘ecologically sensitive area’ designation for a portion of the Western Ghats, blaming it for the human tragedy in Wayanad. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh moved a Privilege Motion notice in the Rajya Sabha against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of misleading the Rajya Sabha with false statements on early warnings, constituting a breach of privilege and contempt of the house.

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