• UGI USER
  • Jul 31, 2024
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122 DEAD AS LANDSLIDE FLATTEN WAYANAD VILLAGES

Why in News ?

Kerala has announced a significant intervention in the pharmaceutical market aimed at reducing out-of-pocket expenditure on health. The state currently records the highest per capita out-of-pocket health expenditure in India.

Source-TH

About the News

  • Casualties:At least 122 people have been killed and 1,597 injured after multiple landslides flattened three villages—Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Attamala—in Vythiri taluk, Wayanad district, Kerala.
  • Rescue Operations:Rescue teams, including State and Central forces, are struggling in knee-deep mud to search for survivors. The death toll is expected to rise as more people are feared dead.
  • Body Recovery:25 mangled body parts were recovered from the Chaliyar River near Pothukallu in Malappuram district, and four from Chooralmala in Wayanad.
  • Government Response-The Kerala government has declared a state of mourning for Tuesday and Wednesday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is overseeing rescue efforts, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced ex-gratia payments of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
  • Landslide Details:The first landslide occurred at 2:00 AM when residents were asleep, followed by a second landslide at 4:10 AM. The landslides were triggered by a waterlogged hillock, which abutted the Iruvanipuzha River.
  • Flooding:The landslide debris altered the course of the swollen river, causing it to flood neighboring localities. A multi-storey school building showed water damage up to two floors.
  • Wider Impact:Heavy rains and landslides were also reported in parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, three people died in separate incidents, including a minor landslip near Valparai.