KALPETTA: The death toll in the landslide hit Wayanad has increased. So far, around 300 bodies have been found. 172 bodies were recovered from Chaliyar alone. Out of this, the post-mortem of 153 bodies has been completed. There are more than 200 people still missing. Hundreds of people are staying in various relief camps.

The search will be conducted today at Chooralmala and Mundakkai areas after separating them into six zones. Attamala-Aranmala is in the first zone. Mundakkai and Punchiri Mattam are in the second and third zones. The fourth zone is Vellarmala Village Road. GVHSS Vellarmala is in the fifth zone. The sixth zone is the bottom of Chooralmala. There are heavy rains in Chooralmala. This is hampering the rescue operations.

The police, army, navy, NDRF, coast guard, forest department and the locals will participate in the search. Four more cadaver dogs will be brought. The Bailey Bridge is ready. The engineering team of the Madras Regiment completed the bridge in just forty hours. Heavy machinery and ambulances will be transported through this route for the rescue operations from Chooralmala to Mundakkai. The bridge has a load-bearing capacity of 24 tonnes.

Kerala Karnataka Sub Area General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major General V T Mathew has informed that there is no possibility of anyone being trapped alive in Mundakkai and Attamala areas. This was clarified in the meeting held in Wayanad and presided under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.