In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "Thank you, Modi ji, for visiting Wayanad to personally assess the tragic situation. This is a commendable decision. I believe that after witnessing the extent of the devastation firsthand, the Prime Minister will declare it a national disaster."
Local residents reported hearing a loud noise followed by a sudden jolt, prompting an investigation by government authorities. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) is reviewing seismic records and conducting local reconnaissance to identify any anomalies.
Officials have struggled to provide accurate casualty estimates since the disaster, leading to varying figures on the number of people affected, creating uncertainty regarding the exact toll.
The Tamil Nadu Disaster Rescue team rescued 10 people on Friday who were trapped due to a landslide in the Sengal Combai Tribal Settlement since Thursday evening, located in an interior forest area 20 km from Coonoor.
Nearly 24 hours after rocks and boulders fell on a vehicle following a landslide on the Kailash-Mansarovar route here, bodies of seven persons were pulled out of the debris.