Male [Maldives], July 31 : Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu sends a condolence message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over landslides in Wayanad District, Kerala State, that took the lives of over a hundred people and injured many more.
Muizzu expressed profound sorrow upon learning of the Wayanad landslide and described the extensive loss of lives, livelihoods, and devastation caused by this disaster as an 'unimaginable tragedy'.
"In his message, the President offered condolences on behalf of the government and the people of the Maldives. He expressed hope that the search and rescue efforts at the site will be able to operate quickly and successfully," according to the Maldives President's Office's official statement
"The President expressed profound sorrow upon learning of the landslides in Wayanad District, Kerala State, that took the lives of over a hundred and injured many more. He described the extensive loss of lives, livelihoods, and devastation caused by this disaster as an unimaginable tragedy," the statement added.
Concluding the message, he also wished fortitude to the victims' families, their loved ones, and everyone affected, in overcoming the painful consequences of this unfortunate catastrophe.
The number of people who died in the landslides that struck the hilly areas of Meppadi in Wayanad district on Tuesday following incessant rainfall has gone up to 158, the Kerala Revenue Department said today.
Meanwhile, search and rescue operations continue at landslide-affected Chooralmala in Wayanad. At the moment, 1200 rescue workers from the Indian Army, DSC Centre, Territorial Army, NDRF, Indian Navy and IAF are deployed here.
The Commandant of the Para Regimental Training Centre, Brigadier Arjun Seagan, said that 500 to 600 personnel from the NDRF, army, state police, forest officials, and volunteers have been carrying out the rescue operations on Wednesday.
Earlier today, the Indian Army ramped up its rescue operations and successfully evacuated more than 1,000 people from affected areas to safety. The Army's Southern Command said that up to 1,000 personnel have been rescued so far using man-made bridges and human effort.
Despite adverse climatic conditions and poor visibility, Indian Air Force helicopters also conducted search & rescue operations in Wayanad, rescuing stranded people from a narrow strip of land.
At least two massive landslides struck Kerala's Wayanad on Tuesday morning, causing widespread destruction. The first occurred in Mundakkai, a town, and the second in Chooralmala. The massive landslides wreaked havoc in the region, damaging houses and roads, uprooting trees, and swelling water bodies, which hindered rescue operations. Relief and rescue efforts are currently underway.
The first landslide occurred at 2 am on July 30, followed by another at 4:10 am, causing immense damage to homes and livelihoods. Many areas, including Meppadi, Mundakkai and Chooralmala, have been isolated, and roads have been washed away. The Vellarmala GVH School was completely buried.
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