At least 143 people have died and around 186 others were injured after multiple landslides hit Wayanad district amid heavy rain. Hundreds more are feared trapped, with ongoing rescue operations to locate and save people in the affected areas.
The Indian Army has deployed about 300 personnel for search-and-rescue in Wayanad, with 140 on standby in Thiruvananthapuram. Naval teams and Air Force helicopters have been mobilized to assist the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army. Kerala experienced 372 mm of rainfall in 24 hours before three landslides struck Wayanad within four hours. More rain is predicted for Wayanad and several other districts, including Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasargod.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of all possible help and announced compensation for the victims’ families. The Prime Minister’s Office has announced ₹2 lakh for the families of those killed and ₹50,000 for the injured. The landslides have devastated several houses, swollen water bodies, and uprooted trees, isolating villages like Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha.
The state Health Department has opened a control room with helpline numbers 9656938689 and 8086010833 for emergency assistance.
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