The death toll in the devastating landslides that hit the Churalmala and Mundakkai areas in Wayanad in the early morning on July 30 has risen to 406 as more bodies and body parts were recovered on Tuesday. However, the official death toll stands at 222.
The death toll may go up further as around 180 persons are still missing.
Meanwhile, rescue operations to trace the missing persons continued on Tuesday, eight days after the disaster.
A joint team of military personnel, disaster response forces, police, canine units, forest officials, and naval experts were engaged in the search operations on Tuesday.
A total of 1,174 personnel from various forces, along with 913 volunteers and local residents, participated in the search operation across six zones in the landslide-affected areas. On Tuesday Search operations were also conducted at Sun Rise Valley area, where the mission was not carried out. 81 body parts have been found so far.
According to official data, approximately 180 persons are missing from the Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas. Revenue Minister K Rajan said a comprehensive list of missing individuals will be compiled with assistance from local authorities and ASHA workers.
As many as 53 children have either died or are missing in the devastating landslides that hit Wayanad in the early morning on July 30
Meanwhile, 22 body parts of unidentified victims were laid to rest at a mass burial site at Puthumala on Tuesday. The funeral services were held after interfaith prayers. . Each one is buried first according to the Christian ritual, then according to the Hindu ritual, then according to the Islamic ritual, with prayers and last rites. This is the third day that mass burial of unidentified victims of landslides were held at Puthumala. Earler, mass burials were held on Sunday and Monday. 200 graves were prepared at the site in Puthumala provided free of charge by Harrison Malayalam Plantation.