The Singapore High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, expressed his sorrow on Wednesday over the tragic loss of lives caused by recent landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad district. In a heartfelt message, he extended his condolences to the victims and their families.
“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives from the landslide in Wayanad, Kerala. Thoughts and prayers with everyone affected.-HC Wong,” read a post on X from the Singapore agency in India.
The landslides, which struck the Wayanad region amid heavy rains, have resulted in the deaths of 143 people as of Wednesday, according to the State Health Department. Many others are injured, missing, or stranded, prompting ongoing relief and rescue operations.
The catastrophic event has devastated the area, with houses and roads destroyed, trees uprooted, and water bodies swollen, severely hampering rescue efforts. The state of Kerala is observing a two-day period of mourning, with the national flag flown at half-mast at the state Assembly.
A multi-agency rescue operation is in full swing, involving teams from the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, and firefighters. Union Minister George Kurian visited Wayanad on Tuesday to oversee the relief efforts, interacting with senior officials from the NDRF, CRPF, and the Army. He also visited a relief camp in Kalpetta.
NDRF Commander Akhilesh Kumar provided an update on the rescue efforts, stating, “We rescued injured victims from Mundakkai village yesterday. We fear victims might be trapped in collapsed buildings… Till 10 pm last night, we rescued 70 people, after which we had to stop because of bad weather and rain… Since many teams are working, we cannot give an exact number of deaths, because we only know about the dead bodies our team has recovered… People have been given shelter in a resort and a mosque on the other side of the river. Since rainfall is going on, there are chances of another landslide.”
In response to the disaster, the Prime Minister’s Office has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
