Wayanad landslide: On Thursday afternoon, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi paid a visit to the Chooralmala area, which was devastated by the landslide. Gandhi is the Wayanad MP, a region that has experienced devastating landslides.
According to party sources, the Congress leaders arrived at the location and then departed for the Community Health Centre in Meppadi. They have appointments to visit two relief camps in Meppadi as well as Dr. Moopen’s Medical College.
After spending time with the grief-stricken people of Wayanad today, I feel the same profound sorrow I felt the day my father died. Many here have lost their entire families, making their pain even greater.
The tragedy is immense, and the work required to heal Wayanad is… pic.twitter.com/aLnemda8FP
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 1, 2024
Affected Hamlets and Casualties
In the early hours of Tuesday, hamlets in Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha experienced massive landslides caused by severe rains. According to reports, 173 people—including women and children—have died so far.
K C Venugopal, the MP for Alappuzha, and the general secretary of the AICC accompanied Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. At 9.30 am, Gandhi and Vadra touched down at the airport in Kannur, from where they proceeded by road to Wayanad.
Rahul Gandhi’s Connection to Wayanad
Both this year and in the general elections of 2019, Gandhi won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. He did, however, forfeit the Wayanad seat and also win the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh. It is anticipated that Priyanka Gandhi will run in this by-election for the seat.
On Thursday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that it would take a few more days to complete the rescue effort in the Mundakkai region, which was devastated by a landslide. Four ministers were nominated to a cabinet subcommittee to oversee the rescue operations. In Wayanad, the ministers will set up camp.
Kerala Chief Minister’s Statement
He claimed to have been told by Army personnel that everyone who could be retrieved from the wreckage had been spared. The Chief Minister stated that a large number of people remain unaccounted for and that numerous bodies have been found around the area, including the Chaliyar River. He stated that there is still work to be done on the rescue mission and that it cannot be finished soon. Four ministers will stay behind to oversee the activities in Wayanad, where there are currently twelve ministries.
According to Vijayan, the Army’s construction of a Bailey Bridge will make rescue operations easier. Initially, the mission was made more difficult by the large pile of earth. In response to a question on the rehabilitation of survivors, Vijayan promised that the victims would receive the same level of care as they had in the past.
Ongoing Rescue Efforts
He (Vijayan) asked the media to do interviews outside of the relief camps to protect the privacy of the families living there. Vijayan is expected to visit the disaster-affected areas shortly after accepting donations for the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) following the news conference.