Wayanad/New Delhi: The Kerala government on Tuesday declared official mourning in the state today and tomorrow after at least 84 people lost their lives in a landslide incident in Wayanad.
Meanwhile, assuring to provide all necessary central assistance to Kerala following the devastating landslide, Home Minister Amit Shah had a telephonic discussion with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and took stock of the situation. Shah said that two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are already conducting relief and rescue operations on the ground.
"Deeply concerned by the incidents of landslides in Wayanad, Kerala. The NDRF is conducting search and rescue operations on a war footing. My condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” said Shah.
Meanwhile, Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha Jebi Mather demanded to declare the Wayanad landslide tragedy a national disaster. Raising the issue in Zero Hour, Mather also demanded immediate relief measures for those affected by the disaster.
She demanded a release of a special relief package of Rs 5000 crore for Wayanad considering the scale of the disaster, wherein over 200 houses have been washed away, bridges and roads collapsed and agricultural crops being destroyed.
"Immediately deploy additional NDRF forces and helicopters for rescue and relief operations, recognising the dire and grave circumstances,” she said.
She further said, "Provide compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the grieving families who have lost their loved ones." "Provide free treatment to those injured. Swiftly construct a temporary bridge in Churalmala to restore connectivity and depute a central team to assess the current situation in Wayanad,” Mather added.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expressed its deep grief at the death of several people in the repeated landslides happening in Wayanad, Kerala. "We convey our deep condolences to the affected families,” the politburo said.
The Kerala state government has started intense rescue operations with the help of experts and people. “We hope that the Central government will provide all aid and coordinate with the state government for rescue, relief and rehabilitation work on a war footing,” the CPI (M) politburo stated. The landslides triggered by heavy rainfall, which occurred early on Tuesday, has left a trail of destruction in Wayanad.
