Kerala Bank Waives Loans for Wayanad Landslide Victims; PM Assures Support

Following the devastating landslide in Wayanad district on July 30, the Kerala Bank Board has decided to fully waive the loans of individuals who lost their lives or had their mortgaged homes and properties destroyed in the disaster. The decision was made by the board of directors during a meeting at the Chooralmala branch.

Previously, on July 30, Kerala Bank had contributed Rs 50 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund to support rescue operations. Additionally, the bank’s employees have pledged five days’ salary to the same fund.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sought further financial support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the rehabilitation of those affected by the Wayanad landslide and to address climate change challenges. Vijayan provided a detailed memorandum to PM Modi during his visit to the disaster-stricken area and outlined the scale of the disaster.

The Chief Minister indicated that a comprehensive damage assessment is underway, with preliminary estimates indicating losses in the thousands of crores. A full report will be submitted to the Central Government soon.

Prime Minister Modi assured support from the central government during a review meeting at the District Collectorate in Wayanad. He promised that no relief work would be delayed due to funding issues and committed to addressing all state government requests. Following the disaster, a Minister of State was dispatched to Kerala, and teams from the NDRF, Army, and Air Force were deployed for rescue and relief efforts.

The landslide, the deadliest in Kerala’s history, resulted in over 300 deaths and extensive destruction of homes and buildings. As of Sunday, Kerala Minister PA Mohamed Riyas reported that three additional body parts had been recovered, with 130 people still missing in the aftermath.