Wayanad disaster: Death toll touches 387, 180 missing as search enters day 7

Wayanad, Aug 5 (IANS) Rescue operations entered the seventh day on Monday when the toll in Kerala’s worst natural calamity touched 387, while180 people still missing after the massive landslides and floods in Wayanad last week.

The over 1,500-strong rescue team comprising personnel from all three defence forces, NDRF, SDRF, police, fire service and volunteers began searches early on Monday morning in the four worst-affected areas of Churalmala, Velarimala, Mundakayil, and Punchirimadom.

With numerous bodies that are unidentified, anxious relatives and friends continue to crowd at hospitals where the bodies are brought and kept.

To make the situation more grim and distressful, a significant number of dismembered body parts have also been recovered from the debris and authorities are doing DNA tests on them.

There are around 100 relief camps in which close to 9,500 people have been relocated.

As many as 81 people are admitted to various hospitals in the district.

A Cabinet sub-committee of four state ministers is overseeing the rescue and relief operations.

Meanwhile, the call given by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has evoked a huge response as contributions are pouring into the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund.

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