Kozhikode: With some respite in rains on Sunday, the rescue and rehabilitation mission moved at a faster pace in the Malabar districts. At a few camps, the inmates started preparations to return to houses as flood water started receding. However, officials have advised the inmates not to go back so soon as the IMD warned of another bout of heavy rain in the region which would gather strength by August 15.
Special officer for relief and rescue coordination in Wayanad U.V. Jose told this newspaper that he suggested retention of inmates for another two or three days even if the rain thin down, as another round of monsoon fury should be expected going by the weather warnings.
Meanwhile, the rescue operations in landslide zones of the Malabar region are still on despite fears of landslides. The rescue workers including army men, personnel from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue personnel and ordinary volunteers are sweating out in the tough terrains and hazardous situations, risking their lives.
One more body was retrieved by rescue workers from Puthumala in Wayanad taking the toll to total 10 on Sunday. It is suspected that seven more people are yet to be rescued either dead or alive from under the debris. A car with its passengers that was caught in the landslide is still missing.
“As the soil is loose, rescue workers are very much cautious and using JCBs is not practical”, said V. Ratheesh, a volunteer.
More than 250 volunteers were engaged in rescue mission on Sunday. But the operations were called off as experts who visited the spot warned off possibility for recurring landslides. An air force team had an aerial examination of the spot in a helicopter to explore the possibility for any intervention.
In Kozhikode district which has the highest number of inmates in relief camps (more than 52,000 on Sunday), still the collection points of district administration is getting sufficient relief material as per the demand from the relief camps.
“I am sad that there is a campaign underway against contributing to the camps by some with vested interests,” said A. Pradeep Kumar MLA. “There are many who continue in camps who need our attention and care,” he said.
“We should not be fooled by such vicious forces that prevent us from our noble deeds,” he said.
