Wayanad disaster; Minister assures free ration for people of Mundakkai and Chooralmala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Food and Public Distribution Minister G R Anil said that ration will be provided free of cost to the residents of Mundakkai and Chooralmala. The minister informed that all the beneficiaries of the ration shops of ARD 44 and 46 in Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas in Wayanad will be given free ration for the month of August.

At present, ration is provided free of charge to priority categories and at fair price to non-priority categories. The minister said that all the beneficiaries included in the blue and white cards, who are non-priority groups in the disaster-affected areas such as Mundakkai and Chooralmala, have been instructed to provide free ration allotment.

The search in the landslide-hit areas has been called off for today. The death toll in the Wayanad disaster has risen to 364. 206 people are still to be found. 10,042 people are living in 93 relief camps.

Today's search for the bodies of those affected by the landslide has ended in Chaliyar river. The search in the river started at eight o'clock this morning. A third of the bodies found so far have been found in Chaliyar.

According to official figures, 67 dead bodies and 121 body parts have reached the Nilambur District Hospital from Chaliyar so far. The search was conducted using systems including drones.