Mass Burial with Interfaith Prayers Held for Landslide Victims in Wayanad; Death Toll Rises to 308

Wayanad, Kerala: A week after devastating landslides struck the Wayanad district, the local administration organized a mass burial ceremony on Monday to inter the body parts of unidentified victims. The ceremony took place in the Puthumala region, where a prayer service representing all religions was held before the burial.

The event began around 3 pm, with Kerala Minister K N Balagopal addressing the issue of missing bodies and body parts. He stated, "We cannot give an exact number of missing body parts... There is a mass burial going on for unidentified bodies."

Puthumala, a village adjacent to Chooralmala, had previously experienced a landslide in 2019. The ongoing rescue and relief efforts in Wayanad have now entered their seventh day. According to the State Health Ministry, the death toll stands at 308 as of August 2. A total of 220 bodies have been recovered, while 180 people remain missing.

As tragedy struck Wayanad leading to deaths of more than 300 people, Authorities on Monday were burying bodies of those killed in the landslide. 

The heavy showers triggered the landslide on the Vellarimala hills that caused the tragedy. Slush, water, debris, uprooted giant trees reached the downhill village Mundakkai and swept away the whole village. 

To aid the affected population, 53 relief camps have been established across Wayanad. The latest figures indicate that 6,759 people, including 1,983 families, have been relocated to these camps. The breakdown includes 2,501 males, 2,677 females, 1,581 children, and 20 pregnant women.

In Meppadi and surrounding gram panchayats, the government has set up 16 additional camps, consisting of 9 shelters and 7 rescue camps. These shelters currently house 2,514 people, including 723 families. The camp population includes 943 males, 972 females, 599 children, and six pregnant women.

Rescue camps have been set up at various locations including SDMLP school, D-Paul public school in Kalpetta, RCLP school in Chundel, GHS school near Rippon, WMO college in Muttil, Rippon new building, and Arappatta.

The landslides, which occurred on July 30, caused widespread destruction and loss of life in the Chooralmala and Mundakkai regions. In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had instructed the district administration to conduct the burial with interfaith prayers to honor the victims.

The community remains in mourning as the recovery and relief operations continue in the wake of this disaster.