Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Visit Landslide-Hit Wayanad in Kerala Today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit landslide-affected areas of Wayanad in Kerala today. He will conduct an aerial survey of affected places to take stock of the situation. He will also visit relief camps and meet the affected people as well as meet the injured and the families of the victims in hospitals.

PM Modi will reach Kannur at 11 am and then conduct an aerial survey of the landslide-affected area in Wayanad. At around 12.15 pm, the PM will visit the landslide-affected area where he will be briefed on the ongoing operations of the rescue teams. The Prime Minister will also visit relief camps and hospitals where he will meet the landslide victims. Modi will then chair a review meeting in which he will be briefed in detail about the incident and the ongoing relief efforts.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to landslide-affected Wayanad, the Cabinet Sub-Committee of the Kerala Government met the central team visiting the area and sought the assistance of Rs 2,000 crore for rehabilitation and relief work in the disaster-affected area. The central team, led by Home Ministry Joint Secretary Rajiv Kumar, visited the disaster-hit area and interacted with the affected people. The inter-ministerial central team said the impact of the Wayanad landslide is huge and a detailed study is required.

The team held a meeting with the Kerala Cabinet Sub-Committee and discussed various rescue operations, relief camps, post-mortem, handing over of bodies to relatives of the deceased, last rites, collection of DNA samples and details of missing people. The state government issued a statement saying it has informed the central team that major damage has been caused to both residential areas and agricultural areas in the Choorlamala, Mundakkai and Punchiri Mattam areas of Wayanad. The statement said Rs 2,000 crore is required only for rehabilitation purposes.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi expressed hope that PM Modi will declare the Wayanad landslide a national disaster after seeing the devastation. He posted on ‘X’, “Thank you, Modi ji, for visiting Wayanad to personally take stock of the terrible tragedy. This is a good decision. I am confident that once the Prime Minister sees the extent of the devastation firsthand, he will declare it a national disaster.”

At least 226 people were killed in the landslide in Kerala's Wayanad on July 30. Over 100 people are still missing.