The death toll in the landslides of Kerala's Wayanad continued to rise rapidly on Wednesday, a day after the tragedy struck, with the fatality count standing at 167 at the time of last update in this report at 9:30 pm. As rains continued to lash various parts of Wayanad, the authorities on Wednesday directed people living in landslide-prone areas of the hill district to move to safer places at the earliest.
After Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday that the Kerala government ignored the Centre's early warning that could have minimised losses, the state Chief Minister said in response that it was "not the time for blame game".
Tiny makeshift bridges were erected over swollen rivers and excavators were engaged non-stop in removing piles of debris and boulders in the landslide-hit hamlets of Wayanad. Rescue operators, including Army personnel, NDRF, state emergency service personnel, and local people, were fighting against all odds to carry out the tough mission even as rain continued to lash several areas.
In view of rainfall, educational institutes will remain closed in Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Malappuram, Thrissur districts of Kerala on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department predicted that heavy rain would continue in Kerala till August 2 under the influence of an off-shore trough at a mean sea level along south Gujarat to Kerala coasts.
Scroll on to take a look at all updates in Wayanad landslides since July 31 morning: