Wayanad Landslides: Rescuers Race Against Time as Hope Fades for 300 Missing
As search efforts in Wayanad enter their fifth day, rescue teams continue to comb through the debris of one of Kerala’s worst landslides, hoping to find survivors among the 300 still missing. So far, 210 bodies have been recovered, and 187 people have been treated and released from hospitals.
Despite the overwhelming tragedy, moments of hope emerged when a family of four was rescued from an isolated house near Padavetti Kunnu. In another heroic effort, forest officers, led by Kalpetta Range Forest Officer K Hashis, trekked into the jungle to save four toddlers and their parents from a tribal community.
Advanced radars have detected faint movements, but rescue teams concluded their search in the severely affected Mundakkai village, determining no one likely survived beneath the rubble. Approximately 40 rescue teams, aided by cadaver dogs, are working in six zones of the landslide-hit area.
The India Meteorological Department forecasts a cloudy sky with occasional rain, complicating rescue efforts. Meanwhile, international condolences poured in, with US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden offering their sympathies.
In a controversial development, the Indian government issued a draft notification to designate over 56,800 square kilometers of the Western Ghats, including parts of Wayanad, as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). The Congress party criticized the delay in implementing the ESA tag, blaming it for the disaster. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misleading the Rajya Sabha regarding early warnings of the landslide.
