Ninth day of tragedy; Search to continue today under leadership of departmental heads

KALPETTA: The authorities informed that the search for the missing in the landslides in Meppadi, will continue Wednesday. The search on the ninth day of the tragedy will continue under the leadership of departmental heads.

A special team will search at Sunrise Valley today. The rescue team was brought in in Sunrise Valley, the rugged area of Chaliyar. A team consisting of six Army personnel, four members of the Police Special Action Group and two Forest Department watchers reached the helicopter twice and landed with the help of rope and baskets. The special team that descended below Soochipara falls had searched a distance of four kilometres the previous day. It is reported that the search will be conducted up to six kilometres today.

The confirmed death toll in the Wayanad disaster has touched 224. 181 body parts have also been recovered. 154 people are missing. 88 people are in hospitals. 1381 people are staying in nine camps in Chooralmala area. 218 unidentified bodies were cremated. The Puthumala cremation ground will be made a permanent cremation ground by erecting a special fence. The chief minister had the other day informed that the DNA testing of unidentifiable bodies in private labs will be examined.

The DNA tests to identify the unidentified bodies and body parts will begin today. It will be compared with more than 100 blood samples collected from their dear ones. The tests will be conducted at the Kannur Regional Forensic Lab of the Kerala Police. About 400 samples, including those from body parts, have been brought to the lab.