Over 270 dead in Wayanad landslides; rescue operations underway

Death toll increases: At least 276 people have died and over 200 have been injured following massive landslides near Meppadi in Kerala's Wayanad district, according to Health Minister Veena George. The landslides, which struck on Tuesday after heavy rainfall, affected Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages, with 220 individuals still missing.

The Army has rescued approximately 1,000 people and has set up a Command and Control Centre in Kozhikode to coordinate Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts. Health Minister George reported the deployment of 1,500 army personnel and forensic surgeons for rescue operations.

Rescue efforts resumed on the third day, with teams from the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) involved. Each team will include a dog squad. The Army's Engineer Task Force is constructing a temporary Bailey bridge in Chooralmala, while an Indian Air Force plane has delivered additional rescue equipment and dog teams to Kannur.

Units from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, and other emergency services personnel have resumed operations on the third day, searching under collapsed roofs and debris of destroyed houses for victims and survivors.

A total of 225 Army personnel have been deployed for rescue operations, with additional companies moved from Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru to Calicut. The Army has rescued over 1,000 people using a temporary structure after a major bridge connecting Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages was washed away due to heavy rain.

The weather department has forecast more rain for Wayanad and several other districts over the coming days. A red alert for heavy rain has been issued for Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasargod districts.