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Wayanad landslides: More body parts recovered in massive search operation

The Kerala Bank decided to write off all the loans disbursed from its Chooralmala branch, considering the exceptional situation in landslide-hit areas in Churalmala and Mundakkai in Wayanad .

Wayanad landslides:  More body parts recovered in massive search operation

Visuals from Wayanad (Photo:ANI)

Extensive search operations, involving the public and the victims’ relatives, to find the people who are still missing in the landslides-hit Churalmala and Kandakkai areas of Wayanad on July 30, continued on Monday.

Two body parts were recovered from Munderi and Kottupara near Chaliyar river during the search. A human skull and another body part were recovered near the Soochippara waterfalls. The remains were taken first to the Nilambur district hospital and then to Kalpetta.

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The search teams include police, fire and rescue teams, volunteers, youth groups, public and survivors. The search is concentrated in six zones, including Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Punchirimattam, and along the Chaliyar River, with special teams deployed in Soochipara and Kanthanpara. The Authorities have included four members from each relief camp to aid in locating and identifying missing individuals .Cadaver dogs are being used to find bodies trapped under debris.

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In this connection, a special camp to retrieve official documents of the landslide survivors who lost everything, was launched in the disaster –hit areas in Wayanad on Monday

Meanwhile, state Revenue Minister K Rajan said that the DNA test results of those who died in the disaster, but were not identified, started being available since Monday. Last week a mass burial of unidentified bodies and numerous body parts took place and each of the graves has been numbered. The survivors will be able to identify their near and dear ones after the DNA results are received

The revenue minister further said that the government would ensure temporary rehabilitation of those staying in the camps in the month of August itself.The Minister said that the government has a clear plan for the rehabilitation of the victims of the Wayanad disaster and there is no need to worry in that regard. The first step is to transfer the victims temporarily to rented houses and government quarters providing with household appliances, he said.

In this connection, the Kerala Bank on Monday decided to write off all the loans disbursed from its Chooralmala branch, considering the exceptional situation in landslide-hit areas in Churalmala and Mundakkai in Wayanad . The bank will write off loans of borrowers from the Chooralmala branch who lost their lives, homes, and properties in the disaster.

This comes as a relief for those affected by the massive landslides and lost their way of life. Though the volume of loans disbursed from the Kerala Bank’s Churalmala branch is unclear, the loans availed by the individuals in the area may come to a tune of Rs 29 crores.

The Kerala Bank earlier contributed Rs 50 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to help relief and rehabilitation activities in Wayanad.

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