Kalpetta : The Centre is with the victims of landslides; the whole country is, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the review meeting after touring the disaster site in Wayanad. PM promised help for Kerala to deal with aftermath of disaster in Mundakkai and Chooramal, where the worst landslides in the State’s history killed at least 226 people and left scores missing.
The Prime Minister arrived in Wayanad on Saturday. He arrived at Kannur International Airport at 11 am, where he was received by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, KK Shailaja MLA, Chief Secretary Dr. V Venu, DGP Sheikh Darvesh Sahib, District Collector Arun K Vijayan, City Police Commissioner Ajith Kumar, AP Abdullahkutty, CK Padmanabhan and others
Then, the Governor, Chief Minister and MP Suresh Gopi accompanied Prime Minster in the helicopter for an aerial survey of the disaster-affected areas from 11:10 am to 12:10 pm. The copter flew over Chooramala, Mundakkai and Punchirimattom hamlets and then descended in Kalpetta. There, Prime Minister visited survivors undergoing treatment in hospital.
A review meeting lasting half-an-hour was held in Kalpetta, where State officials laid out the dynamics of massive destruction and devastation the twin landslides left in its wake and urged PM for a national disaster and extreme national disaster declaration for the tragedy. A package of Rs 2000 crores has been asked for toward rebuilding and rehabilitation.
