At least 24 killed in landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad
Rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rain in the district’s Meppadi area, where hundreds are suspected to be trapped under debris.
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At least 24 persons were killed and 70 others injured in landslides triggered by heavy rainfall near Meppadi in Kerala’s Wayanad district on Tuesday, said the state’s health minister Veena George, reported ANI.
Rescue efforts were hindered due to the heavy rain and hundreds are suspected to be trapped under debris in the affected areas, The Indian Express reported.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority said that teams from the fire department and the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed for relief and rescue operations, The Hindu reported.
An additional National Disaster Response Force team was also on its way to Wayanad, while two from the Kannur Defence Security Corps have been instructed to reach the district.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that assistance from the Army would be sought to build temporary bridges, evacuate stranded persons using helicopters and make other necessary arrangements at the disaster sites, The Indian Express reported.
The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued “red” category weather alerts for four districts in Kerala, namely Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kasaragod. “Orange” alerts, indicating the possibility of less severe weather, were issued for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Palakkad districts.
A red alert requires authorities to “take action” in light of an extreme weather-related event, while an orange alert tells authorities to “be prepared” for one. A yellow alert...
