The rescue operations in landslide-affected four villages of Kerala's Wayanad entered the eighth day on Tuesday with the death toll reaching 402 and around 170 still missing.
The over 1,200-strong rescue team comprising personnel from all the Defence forces, NDRF, SDRF, police, fire services and volunteers began searches early in the morning in the four worst-affected areas in Churalmala, Velarimala, Mundakayil and Punchirimadom.
Special teams have been searching in the Chaliyar River from where several bodies and dismembered body parts were recovered in the past few days.
DNA tests are being conducted on all such body parts.
In over 100 relief camps, mostly set up in various educational institutions in and around the affected areas, over 10,300 people have been housed.
State Revenue Minister on Tuesday said the Local Self Government ( LSG) department has now been asked to give a list of buildings belonging to the government besides identifying homes that are presently locked and also information about the number of resorts in the locality.
“The State Education Minister V. Sivankutty is reaching here and we will soon decide on how the educational needs will go ahead. The standard operating procedures will be in place. At the moment most of these relief camps operate in educational institutions. Once we get the list from the LSG department, we will move the people to resorts, closed homes and such places,” said Rajan.
“We assure that none of the people in the affected places will be left uncared. The weekly cabinet meeting will be held online on Wednesday, where more decisions with regards to rehabilitation will be made and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will announce it,” added Rajan.
Even as the rescue operations entered the eighth day, this will go on till the Army takes a final call.
Meanwhile, help is pouring into the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund and the decision has come that all state government employees will contribute their salaries of five days to it.
Odisha's strategic position under PM Modi's 'Act East Policy' to take centre stage at PBD event
There is no denying the fact that under the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s connection with its global diaspora has strengthened significantly over the last decade. A number of initiatives have been launched for the welfare of Indian nationals living abroad.
India well prepared to handle HMPV, surveillance shows no unusual surge: Centre
India is well-prepared to handle respiratory illnesses and surveillance shows no unusual surge in the country, according to the government, as reports surface about rising cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China in the past few weeks.
PM Modi guarantees continuation of free welfare schemes in Delhi
No existing public welfare scheme in Delhi will be withdrawn after BJP comes to power in Delhi, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, virtually guaranteeing the continuation of free water, power and bus travel for women offered by the current AAP government.
Three killed as Coast Guard chopper crashes in Gujarat's Porbandar
An Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) crashed in Gujarat's Porbandar on Sunday, killing all three crew members on board, a top police official confirmed.
AAPda govt lacks vision to drive Delhi's development: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a sharp critique of the AAP government in Delhi, calling it an "AAPda government" that lacks vision for the city's progress.
Centre regulates movement of people on Mizoram-Myanmar border
After Manipur, the movement of people living within 10 km on either side of the unfenced international border along Mizoram-Myanmar would be regulated following the directives of the Centre, officials said on Sunday.
NIA raids nine locations in Jharkhand, finds evidence in CPI (Maoist) activities case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out extensive searches at nine locations in Jharkhand’s west Singhbhum district as part of an investigation into the activities of the banned CPI(Maoist).