More than 200 people were killed on Tuesday as rain-induced landslides struck Wayanad in Kerala. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor urged Home Minister Amit Shah to tag the incident as a ‘calamity of severe nature’ under MPLADS guidelines. Meanwhile former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi visited the accident site in Chooralmala with his sister Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday afternoon.
“According to our information, more than 200 deaths have taken place. Bodies are being recovered and over 200 people are injured. On the first day, 150 people were rescued and we are still conducting the search and rescue operation. As of now, there are sufficient teams of the Indian Army, NDRF, Fire Services, IAF, ICG, and others on the spot, and a review meeting was held by the Kerala CM and other officials,” DIG Shahidi told ANI.
Rescue operations led by the Indian Army remained underway at three locations — Attamala, Mundakkai, and Chooralmala — on Thursday afternoon. Former MP Rahul Gandhi also visited the landslide-affected area with his sister and Wayanad MP hopeful Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Gandhi and Vadra landed at Kannur airport at 9.30 am before heading to Wayanad by road. Visuals shared online show the two Congress politicians making their way through the waterlogged terrain in Chooralmala alongside Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal.
