Township will be constructed to rehabilitate victims; steps will be taken to ensure education of children

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said rescue operations in Wayanad tragedy area are in the final phase. The first attempt was to bring the people who escaped from the disaster and stranded in various places to a safer place. All efforts were taken to save lives as much as possible, he said.

The chief minister said that it is very difficult to identify the body parts found in Chaliyar River. So far, 215 bodies have been found in the disaster. The bodies were that of 87 women, 98 men and 30 children. Out of this, 148 bodies were handed over. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a press conference that 206 people are yet to be found. 10042 people are staying in 93 relief camps. The search has been intensified.

11 dead bodies were received yesterday. There is now a radar system to detect the pulse of life. It can detect the pulse of life at a depth of up to 16 feet. The radar system to locate the body will be brought soon. The chief minister also informed that the search will continue including in Chaliyar.

Panchayats will cremate the 67 unidentified dead bodies by offering interfaith prayers. Another safe area will be found and a township will be built and rehabilitated. The chief minister also said that since the Vellarmala school has been destroyed, an alternative system of education would be arranged. As part of preventing misuse, the QR code of the relief fund has been frozen. Instead, a number system has been introduced. Help for Wayanad cell was formed under A Geetha, joint land revenue commissioner. Email - letushelpwayand@gmail.com. Phone – 9188940014, 9188940015.

Meantime, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan donated Rs 1 lakh and wife T Kamala Rs 33,000 to the CMDRF. It has also been informed that CPM MPs will donate one month's salary to the chief minister's relief fund to help the Wayanad victims. So, a total of Rs 8 lakh will be contributed to the CM’s relief fund. K Radhakrishnan, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, John Brittas, Amra Ram, V Sivadasan, A A Rahim, S Venkatesan and R Sachidanandam will contribute to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.