New Delhi | Heavy engineering equipment and rescue dog teams are being airlifted and disaster relief teams have been dispatched by the Indian Coast Guard to provide aid and succour to people after a series of landslides in the hilly areas of Kerala's Wayanad district early Tuesday.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said 93 people have died and around 128 were injured in the massive landslides in the northern Wayanad district, leaving behind a trail of destruction and despair.
"As tragic disaster struck at Wayanad in wee hours today, Indian Armed Forces swung into immediate action and 300 Military personnel were moved forthwith to commence rescue operations. During the day, additional columns of Army, Naval teams and helicopters from Air Force were mobilised to assist the rescue and relief efforts.
"All out efforts are underway as additional troops, heavy engineering equipment, Rescue Dog teams and other essential relief stores are being airlifted by Service aircrafts from Trivendrum, Bengaluru and Delhi," the Office of the Raksha Mantri said in a post on X.
Earlier in the day, his office also said in a post on X that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday spoke to Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi to take stock of rescue and relief works being undertaken by the Army units in landslide-hit Wayanad.
Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry in a statement said the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) district HQ (Kerala & Mahe) and ICG station Beypore dispatched disaster relief teams (DRT) on Tuesday to the landslide-affected areas in Wayanad.
"The DRT comprising highly trained ICG personnel and dedicated medical team have been mobilised to provide immediate relief and support to the communities impacted by the disaster," it said.
The teams are equipped with essential disaster relief materials such as rubber inflatable boats for rescue operations, diesel-driven pumps to manage water and drainage issues, life jackets for safety, raincoats and gum boots for personnel protection in adverse weather conditions and other earth-clearing implements for clearing debris and accessing affected areas, the statement said.
"The ICG also dispatched food materials, drinking water and other essential supplies to support the affected population. The distribution of these supplies is being coordinated with the district disaster management team to ensure efficient aid delivery. ICG is working closely with local authorities to mitigate the impact of this disaster," it added.
Chennai | Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday spoke to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan about the landslides caused by heavy rainfall, assured him of the state's full support in rescue and relief efforts and announced the immediate despatch of a specialist team to assist the neighbouring state.
The chief minister directed officials in Tamil Nadu to release Rs 5 crore in funds to Kerala for relief activities and tasked them with sending a rescue team of personnel from the fire and disaster response forces and medical staff to assist in the rescue and relief work there.
The CM said one of those killed in the landslides in Kerala was a 34-year old construction worker, K Kalidas, from Tamil Nadu. Expressing anguish over the death, the CM announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh for the kin of the worker.
Kalidas belonged to a village in Gudalur taluk of Nilgiris district and he was killed while he was in Mudakkai town in Wayanad for work.
Stalin, who spoke over the phone to Vijayan, conveyed to him his condolences and sympathies over the loss of lives due to the natural disaster. He assured him that Tamil Nadu would extend all necessary support, an official release here said.
The Tamil Nadu team would comprise 20 personnel from the state Fire and Rescue Services, 20 from the state disaster response force and 10 doctors and nurses.
They will work alongside Kerala rescue teams. The chief minister has directed the team to leave immediately for the neighbouring state, the release added.
The Tamil Nadu rescue team will be led by two senior IAS officials, G S Sameeran and Johny Tom Varghese.
The TN fire and rescue services personnel will be led by a joint director and the disaster response staff will be headed by a police superintendent.
In a post on social media platform X, Stalin earlier said: "Deeply pained to learn about the massive landslides in #Wayanad and the consequent loss of priceless lives. I am given to understand that many people are still trapped in the area. I am sure the rescue operations that are in full swing will save them all. The government of Tamil Nadu is willing to extend any logistical or manpower support that may be needed in this hour of crisis to our brother state #Kerala. #WayanadLandslide.
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami also expressed anguish and condolences over the tragedy and urged the Centre to render all required assistance to Kerala. He also asked the Tamil Nadu government to support the neighbouring state.
BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai said his party has formed a team to send relief materials to the affected people in Kerala. Annamalai said he was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives due to the landslides in Wayanad.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaving family at this time of distress. The rescue is underway, and our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi avl has assured of all possible help from the Centre."
Wayanad (Kerala) | Four tourists from North India travelled all the way to the hill district of Wayanad to enjoy its lush greenery and tranquility of nature but ended up trapped after massive landslides devastated the district in Kerala on Tuesday.
After flying into Bengaluru airport, the tourists had visited Coimbatore and Coorg before arriving in Wayanad a few days ago.
Two of them are now missing, and the other two are undergoing treatment at a hospital for injuries sustained in the deadly landslides that struck the hamlets of mountainous Wayanad in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to the private taxi cab company from which the tourists hired a vehicle, two passengers are missing and untraceable, while two others, women, were rescued and hospitalised.
Sachin Gowda, the owner of Bengaluru-based Plus Cabs, said that the taxi carrying the four tourists from North India and a driver from Karnataka was trapped in the landslide.
"We received an online booking on Thursday with an advance payment. On Friday morning, around 8 am, they were picked up from Bengaluru airport in an Ertiga car," he said.
The group travelled to the Isha Foundation in Coimbatore, then to Coorg, and finally to Wayanad, where they had been staying for the past two days, he said.
At around 1.30 am, the car was detected to be active by the Bengaluru office system, Gowda recounted.
"When I enquired with the driver about the car being on at midnight, he informed me about the landslide," the owner said.
Gowda said the driver told him that there was water all over the place.
"The driver got scared and left the scene, and headed to a hospital," the cab owner said, adding that the two women were rescued and are currently receiving medical treatment.
One is in the ICU and the other is stable, Gowda said.
However, the two other passengers remain missing, and their mobile phones are switched off.
Gowda noted that the passengers are from North India but further details are unknown.
One of the passenger's names is Sweekruti, the person who spoke to the cab owner regarding the booking, the cab owner added.
