Kerala Wayanad Landslide Updates (July 30): 41 Confirmed Dead, Hundreds Missing as Rescue Efforts Intensify

Forty-one bodies have been recovered and several people are reported missing following massive landslides in the hilly areas near Meppadi in Kerala's Wayanad district on Tuesday morning. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has deployed Fireforce and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to the affected region, where hundreds are feared trapped. An additional NDRF team and two units from the Kannur Defence Security Corps are en route to provide further assistance.

Heavy rainfall has hampered rescue operations, with fears that many individuals may have been swept away by the Chaliyar River flowing towards the Nilambur region in Malappuram. Many homes, shops, and vehicles have been buried under debris in Mundakkai. The destruction of a bridge to the area has further complicated rescue efforts. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has promised to seek army support to build a temporary bridge, evacuate people by helicopter, and set up necessary arrangements at the disaster site.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his concern, stating, “My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones, and my prayers are with the injured.” He assured that the central government would provide all possible assistance and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for each deceased person’s family and Rs. 50,000 for those injured. Leader of Opposition and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi also offered his condolences and urged for coordinated relief efforts, stating, “I hope those still trapped are rescued soon… I have requested coordination with all agencies, the establishment of a control room, and any needed assistance for relief operations.”