Gautam Adani, Chairman and founder of the Adani group of companies on Wednesday expressed his condolences for the lives lost in the Wayanad landslide and said that he will provide financial assistance of Rs 5 crore to support relief efforts in Kerala.
The number of people who died in the landslides that struck the hilly areas of Meppadi in Wayanad district on Tuesday following incessant rainfall has gone up to 158, the Kerala Revenue Department said on Wednesday.
Sharing a post on X, Gautam Adani said, "Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in Wayanad. My heart goes out to the affected families. The Adani Group stands in solidarity with Kerala during this difficult time."
He further said, "We humbly extend our support with a contribution of Rs 5 Cr to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund."
Meanwhile, the Southern Naval Command dispatched a disaster relief team of 68 personnel from INS Zamorin at Ezhimala to the landslide-affected areas in Kerala's Wayanad, officials said on Wednesday.
"Based on the request from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), the Southern Naval Command dispatched a disaster relief team of 68 personnel from INS Zamorin at Ezhimala to the landslide affected site at 02.30 pm on July 30, 2024," the Southern Naval Command said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to an official statement, the rescue team, equipped with medical personnel and necessary equipment, arrived at the site at 10 pm the same day.
Additional teams are on standby and will be deployed at short notice as needed. An Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) detachment in Search and Rescue (SAR) configuration was deployed from Kochi to Calicut at 07.30 am on Wednesday to support the rescue efforts.
The regional meteorological department has issued a warning for heavy rainfall in five districts, including Wayanad.
An Orange Alert has been issued for Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod, while a Yellow Alert is in place for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, and Palakkad districts. No rain warnings are in effect for Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam.
The Kerala government is compiling a list of those affected by the landslide. Kerala Revenue and Housing Minister K Rajan said that the number of people involved in the accident will be available by this evening."The list will be prepared based on the ration cards and mustering records of plantations. The camps will continue, and comprehensive measures for rehabilitation will be taken soon," Mr Rajan said.
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