Wayanad: 276 people dead so far, 250 missing; ISRO claims – an area as big as 13 football fields submerged in landslide

“The landslide has caused massive destruction in Mundakkai, Choorlammala, Attamala and Noolpuzha villages. It is difficult for the administration to estimate the total number of people affected.”

Wayanad 02/08/2024 reporting by santosh seth 

The death toll due to the landslide in Wayanad has risen to 276. Around 250 people are still reported missing.

Relief and rescue workers are currently searching for survivors and bodies in the debris, due to which this number may increase further. However, officially only 177 people have been confirmed dead.

The landslide has caused massive destruction in Mundakkai, Choorlammala, Attamala and Noolpuzha villages.

It is difficult for the administration to estimate the total number of people affected. A member of the rescue team in Mundakkai said, we were standing on the roof of a building.

The smell coming from below made it seem that bodies were buried there. The building is completely buried under mud and uprooted trees.

Wayanad was struggling with less than normal rainfall on July 29, a day before the landslide, while very heavy rains occurred on July 30.

According to the Meteorological Department (IMD), Wayanad, which receives an average of 2,800 mm of rain annually, received about 30% of its annual rainfall in about 20 days.

On July 30, six percent of the year’s rainfall occurred in a few hours in just one day.