KOCHI: The High Court has directed scientific identification of disaster-prone areas along with rehabilitating the landslide victims in Wayanad. The situation in Wayanad is very important as the rain continues. The progress of the measures will be evaluated every week. Other measures should be completed after the rains stop. The matter will be considered as the first case every Friday. High Court was considering the suo moto petition registered in the wake of the landslide.
The division bench comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice VM Shyamkumar also stated that steps should be taken to rehabilitate the people when there is abnormal rain in a region. The bench also inquired whether a scientific study was conducted on the causes of landslides. Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup sought time for an explanation. Matters like whether the nearby areas are safe should be found out through scientific study. Union Ministry of Transport, National Highways Authority and National Remote Sensing Centre have also been made parties in the case.
1555 houses destroyed
The government has informed that 1555 houses in the disaster area are uninhabitable. 626 hectares of crops were destroyed. 1,200 crore loss is estimated. It was informed that this is preliminary information and a detailed report can be submitted later.
Out of 231 confirmed deaths, 178 bodies have been released to relatives. The unidentified bodies were buried by the district administration. Bodily remains are still being recovered. Attempts are being made to identify people by collecting DNA samples.
More than two hundred shops were also destroyed