Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], July 7 (ANI): Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday directed the Fire Force Chief and the Wayanad District Police Chief to intensify rescue operations in the landslide-affected areas of Wayanad.
Keralam Health Minister K Muraleedharan confirmed the death of two persons in the incident. Directions have been given in the hospital in Wayanad for the treatment. He informed that the rescue operation will be completed once the road is cleared.
“Two deaths are confirmed. After road clearance, rescue work will be completed. We have directed all hospitals in Wayanad for the treatment of the labourers who were from outside Keralam. The primary report suggests there were no local people affected in the incident, ” said Muraleedharan.
The Health Minister further said that directions have been given to hospitals in Wayanad for treatment, and ambulance services have been deployed at the site.
Eight people -Hira Kumar (32), Dileep (19), Suraj Yadav (25), Sanjay Thakur (35), Rajneesh (27), Tanmay Ghosh (28), Koopamal (Jaya) (37), and Kunju (39) — rescued from the landslide-affected area have been shifted to Meppadi WIMS Hospital for treatment.
A relief camp has been opened at Chulikka Government LP School, and residents from homes in the affected area are being shifted there.
Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan on the devastating incident said the collapse at the Wayanad tunnel construction site was an “unfortunate disaster” and alleged that contractors had failed to comply with repeated directions from the authorities to remove excavated soil, even after warnings from the District Disaster Management Authority.
Reacting to the incident, Keralam Minister T Siddique alleged that the landslide at Kalladi in Wayanad was a “man-made” disaster caused by negligence, claiming that authorities had warned Konkan Railways about the risk in advance but no preventive action was taken.
He said six people were seriously injured in the incident, while NDRF teams have been deployed and search and rescue operations are underway.
Siddique said, “It is not a natural landslide, but a man-made landslide. It is a clear case of lapse. Six people are seriously injured, and they are admitted to the hospital. Their condition is stable. We will continue the search and rescue at the site in Kalladi. The District Collector had given in writing to Konkan Railways regarding the chance of a landslide at the site. Two teams comprising a total of 60 NDRF personnel from Wayanad and Kozhikode have been directed to the site.”
He added, “The District Collector is present at the site. I, along with State Minister AP Anil Kumar, am going to the site. Konkan Railways was directed to take necessary action earlier, but no action was taken by them. Such things cannot be tolerated because two years ago, 298 people lost their lives in a landslide at Mundakkai.
Keralam Revenue Minister AP Anil Kumar assured that the rescue operation has begun. He informed that a team of 30 NDRF personnel has reached the spot.
“We are collecting information about the tragedy and then will declare everything,” said Kumar.
Keralam Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha, on aid from central assistance, stated, “Central assistance comes into the picture only when we know the extent of the damage and who is responsible. The central government has a disaster management, facilitation and funding system. We have money in it, and we will take care of it.” (ANI)
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