Wayanad

As the third day of rescue efforts began in disaster-stricken Wayanad, the Army has already rescued over 1,000 individuals; 220 people were still reportedly missing.

He slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government and emphasised that the number of deaths could have been minimised had the Kerala government been alert and acted on the Centre’s warning

The Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology in Kalpetta had issued a landslide warning for Mundakkai in Wayanad's Meppadi 15 hours before the huge landslide occurred that destroyed entire villages and killed over 160 people.

These RSS and Sewa Bharati volunteers are assisting NDRF teams in locating the deceased, arranging food camps to provide food and shelter to those who have lost everything, and assisting bereaved families in identifying their loved ones Wayanad. They are also organising respectful last rituals for individuals who have died.

Army sources said that 150 deaths have been recorded so far in landslides in Wayanad in Kerala, while around 200 to 250 individuals have been rescued

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team is conducting search and rescue operations along with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).

PM Modi also announced ₹2 lakh compensation for the kin of those individuals who died in the catastrophe and ₹50000 for victims injured during the landslide.

The by-election in the Wayanad seat was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi decided to retain Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli seat, the other seat he won in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

Kerala president K Sudhakaran claimed that Rahul Gandhi is planning to vacate the Wayanad seat as he can't lead India as Wayanad MP.

Rawal claimed that Rahul Gandhi had put forth a condition before agreeing to contest from Rae Bareli. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had, as per Rawal, said that if Congress abandons both Rae Bareilly and Amethi, then it will send a wrong message to the public as polling of five phases has yet to commence.