Actor Mohanlal visited the landslide-affected Mundakkai village in Kerala's Wayanad on Saturday. Dressed in his Indian Territorial Army uniform, Mohanlal, who holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel, met with the Army personnel conducting rescue operations at the site. The actor had previously praised the rescue efforts in Wayanad on X and thanked the 122 Infantry Battalion, TA Madras, for their crucial role in the relief mission. Mohanlal also donated Rs 25 lakh to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.
The death toll from the July 30 landslides in Chooralmala and Mundakkai, Wayanad, has reached 308, according to Kerala Health Minister Veena George. As of the latest count, 215 bodies and 143 body parts have been recovered, including 98 males, 87 females, and 30 children. Post-mortem procedures have been completed on 212 bodies and 140 body parts, with 148 bodies identified by relatives so far. Currently, 82 people are receiving treatment in hospitals across Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts.
A total of 504 people were admitted to hospitals from the disaster zone, with 205 already discharged. Three unidentified bodies were cremated at the Kalpetta public crematorium, following special guidelines issued by the state government due to the disaster. Local leaders and officials, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Department Minister OR Kelu and Kalpetta MLA T Siddique, paid their respects.
Residents of the affected area shared their experiences of loss and fear. One resident, Satish, expressed his fear and sadness, stating it was the first major tragedy he had witnessed. Another resident recounted the loss of his mother's elder sister, her son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren, with only some of their bodies recovered. Ravindran, another resident, mentioned that although panchayat officials had warned residents to evacuate, only half heeded the warning, potentially saving many lives.
Relief teams, including the dog squad, began operations at 7 am today, with the Indian Army's relief columns present on site. The Army is also constructing a bridge in the Punchirimattom region to facilitate the use of Hitachi machines for the rescue operation. Air Marshal B Manikantan and Brigadier Salil conducted an aerial survey of the affected regions to assess the situation.
In response to the Kerala government's request, one Xaver Radar and four Reeco Radars, along with operators, will be airlifted from Delhi today by IAF aircraft. Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan highlighted the heroic efforts of forest officials who saved six lives in a remote tribal settlement after an arduous 8-hour operation in landslide-hit Wayanad.
