The death toll from the devastating landslides in Wayanad has risen to 340 as the search and rescue operations continue into the fifth day. Approximately 200 individuals remain missing. On Friday, officials recovered 210 bodies and 134 body parts from the disaster site. The recovery includes 96 males, 85 females, and 29 children. So far, 146 bodies have been identified by relatives, and post-mortems have been completed on 207 bodies and 134 body parts.
Currently, 84 people are receiving treatment in hospitals across Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts, while 187 individuals have been discharged. In total, 273 people have been transported to hospitals from the affected areas.
Centre Issues Fresh ESA Draft for Western Ghats
In response to the tragedy, the Centre has issued a new draft notification to designate over 56,800 square kilometers of the Western Ghats across six states, including 13 villages in Wayanad, as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). The draft, released on July 31, invites public suggestions and objections within the next 60 days.
This move follows the recent landslides that resulted in over 300 fatalities in Wayanad. Scientists attribute the disaster to a combination of forest cover loss, mining activities in sensitive regions, and climate change.
The draft notification proposes declaring 9,993.7 square kilometers in Kerala, including the 13 villages affected by the landslides, as ecologically sensitive. The villages affected are:
In Mananthavady taluka: Periya, Thirunelli, Thondernad, Thrissilery, Kidanganad, and Noolpuzha
In Vythiri taluka: Achooranam, Chundel, Kottappadi, Kunnathidavaka, Pozhuthana, Thariyod, and Vellarimala
