Rs 5 lakh to kin of dead in Wayanad tragedy, search continues for missing people

KALPETTA: A search has been intensified for the five people missing in the landslide near the Kalladi tunnel in Wayanad. A search using cadaver dogs is continuing at the site. To facilitate the rescue mission, the disaster-affected area has been divided into four main sectors.

A large team of more than 500 people comprising NDRF, RRF, Fire Force and local police is leading the search. Special teams have been deployed in each zone. However, heavy rain, mudslides and fog are adversely affecting the search. Chief Minister V D Satheesan is expected to reach the disaster area soon.

The government has announced a financial compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the kin of the dead. So far, three have died in the accident. The dead have been identified as Anmol Dodrai from Jharkhand, Bikash Kumar Singh from Bihar and Chandrabhan Pal from Madhya Pradesh. After the postmortem, their bodies were shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital last night. The government will send their bodies to their native places.

Nine injured are undergoing treatment. Hira Kumar (32), Dilip Kumar (19), Suraj Yadav (25), Sanjay Thakur (35), Rajneesh (27), Tanmay Ghosh (28), Koopamal (Jaya) (37), Kunju (39) and Santosh Kumar were injured. The accident happened Tuesday morning at 11.15 am. The concreted part near the Kallady tunnel and a large mound nearby were washed away by the landslide. Stones and soil flowed across the nearby Meenakshi bridge and river. Some, who ran through the bridge after seeing the heavy flow of rain water, were rescued.