At least 24 people were killed while 70 others were injured after massive landslides hit Kerala’s Wayanad district, the state's health minister Veena George said on Tuesday. The incident has occurred at Tree Valley resort in Mundakkai near Meppadi early morning today.
"It's very unfortunate that early this morning around 3 am, massive landslides occurred in Wayanad, and rescue operations are going on. We are exploring everything possible to rescue the lives of our people. So far, we have received 24 bodies in different hospitals, and many are injured, they are under treatment. We have opened control rooms in health department and police department. The CM is himself monitoring entire situation in the state and he is giving instructions. We have sent more medicines to Wayanad," George said.
Earlier, reports stated hundreds are feared trapped under the debris,
As per sources, 53 people have been so far brought to the Medical College at Meppady in Wayanad.
Earlier, following the landslides in the area, several people were said to be trapped under it as rescue operations have been launched at the spot.
As per reports, the first landslide struck the area at nearly 2 am. Later, at nearly 4.10 am, the district was struck by another landslide.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has said that Fireforce and NDRF teams have been deployed to the affected area, with an additional NDRF team en route to Wayanad.
Two teams of Kannur Defence Security Corps have also been instructed to move to Wayanad to assist in the rescue efforts, according to a Facebook post by the KSDMA.
Besides, the companies of NDRF are on the way, one from Karnataka, one from Tamil Nadu and the rest from Kerala to carry out the rescue operations at the site.
