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Press Note by the Chief Minister of Kerala on the Wayanad Tragedy
A devastating tragedy has struck Wayanad’s Mundakkai, Attamala and Chooralmala areas due to severe landslides caused by relentless rainfall. This catastrophe has resulted in the loss of 108 lives, with 128 individuals injured and receiving treatment in various hospitals. Among the victims were children who lost their lives while they were asleep during the wee hours, highlighting the harrowing impact of this disaster. Many residents fled in terror, while 16 bodies along with several unidentified human body parts were found in Chaliyar at Pothukallu near Nilambur in Malappuram district, 34 bodies have been identified, and 18 have been released to their grieving families.
This is one of the worst natural calamities Kerala has ever witnessed. Rescue operations are ongoing in the affected areas. The first landslide occurred at 2 AM today, followed by another at 4:10 AM. Many areas, including Meppadi, Mundakkai and Chooralmala, have been isolated, and roads have been washed away. The Vellarmala GVH School was completely buried. The damage to homes and livelihoods is immense. Efforts to locate missing persons continue with all available resources.
We extend our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, and Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose have called to express their condolences and offer assistance. Upon receiving news of the tragedy, we immediately coordinated rescue operations. Five ministers have been dispatched to Wayanad to oversee the efforts. Under their direct supervision and with the support of the army, the rescue operations are in full swing. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible, provide medical care to the injured, and relocate others to safer areas. In Wayanad, 45 relief camps have been established, accommodating 3,069 people. Across the entire state, a total of 118 camps are providing shelter to 5,531 individuals.
Various forces, including the Fire Force, NDRF, and Police, are working together in relief efforts. Military units have also been urgently mobilized. Various units of the Army and Navy are coming to the rescue operation. 329 members of the Fire Force have been deputed to Wayanad from various districts. This includes 35 trained members of the Water Rescue Academy and 86 Civil Defence and Apta Mitra members. A 60-member team from the NDRF has already reached Wayanad and is engaged in rescue operations. Additionally, a team from Bangalore has left for Wayanad. A 64-member team from the DSC has arrived in Wayanad, with another DSC team ready in Kannur. Two Air Force helicopters, which departed from Sulur for Wayanad, are currently stationed in Kozhikode due to adverse weather conditions. Requests have also been made for the river-crossing team of the Navy, one team from the ET F Army, and one team from the Indian Coast Guard.
Additionally, 30-member NDRF teams from various districts have been sent to Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts. A group from Arakkonam has also been dispatched to Palakkad. The North Zone IG and DIG are leading the rescue operations, with the ADGP of the Law and Order department coordinating from Wayanad. A special control room has been set up at the Thiruvananthapuram police headquarters to coordinate activities and issue instructions to search teams in the affected area. This control room operates under the direct supervision of the State Police Chief. Information from the control room is being forwarded to search teams in the disaster areas. Besides local police, personnel from Kerala Armed Police Battalions, the Rapid Response and Rescue Force, and the Special Operation Group are involved. Specially trained police personnel from the High Altitude Training Center of KAP 5th Battalion and drone teams from various districts are also assisting. Two police dogs trained in locating bodies are in use, with requests made for trained army dogs as well. Traffic arrangements are in place to facilitate the movement of Army units and debris removal machinery.
The police are providing all possible assistance to get the injured to the hospital as quickly as possible. Post-mortem examinations and inquests are being conducted, and steps are being taken to handover the bodies to their relatives. Apart from the forensic team in Wayanad, a special team of forensic doctors from Kozhikode has also been appointed to expedite the post-mortem process. DNA tests are being conducted to identify unidentifiable corpses.
The government is ensuring the delivery of food and essential items to relief camps and affected areas. The Public Distribution Department and Supplyco are making necessary interventions to provide food grains and essentials in ration shops and Supplyco stores. The Water Resources Department has dispatched vehicles carrying 20,000 litres of drinking water to the disaster area.
Temporary hospitals are being set up, and additional health workers have been appointed. Teams from Kozhikode, Kannur, and Thrissur Medical Colleges have been sent to Wayanad, along with additional doctors and nurses in critical departments. Private hospitals are also contributing to medical teams. Mobile mortuary services are being utilised to handle the increased need. Health workers on leave have been instructed to return to work, and additional medicines and equipment are being supplied. Kaniv has provided extra ambulances, and rapid-action medical units capable of operating in hilly areas have been dispatched.
Mundakkai, known as the epicentre of the landslides, is located in an area highly prone to disasters. However, the flowing soil, gravel, and rocks have landed in Chooralmala town, a region that is not prone to landslides and is 6 kilometres away from the epicentre. This area is a flat riverbank that has been inhabited for years. The epicentre of the landslide, however, is not a human settlement.
People were evacuated due to heavy rains, which reduced the scope of the accident. An orange alert was issued for the area, with a warning that 64 to 204 mm of rain could fall. However, the area received 200 mm of rain in the first 24 hours and 372 mm in the next 24 hours, totalling 572 mm of rain over 48 hours. Rainfall and other natural disasters can be unpredictable, especially in the context of climate change. Unexpected heavy rains, cloudbursts, and landslides are part of this unpredictability.
The area where we have been living for a long time may not have experienced such events before. However, everyone is urged to be prepared and heed warnings of potential disasters, even if there is no previous experience with such situations. It is important to overcome the belief that it is difficult to move away and recognize that safety may only be ensured by relocating.
The government is working relentlessly to ensure the safety of the people and to mitigate damage as much as possible with necessary precautions. For this effort to be effective, full cooperation from the public is essential. Everyone should be willing to follow the instructions given by the authorities and not ignore them.
