Mohanlal Joins Rescue Efforts in Uniform in Landslide-Hit Wayanad
Wayanad: Malayalam film icon and Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army, Mohanlal, visited the landslide-affected region of Wayanad on Saturday, where extensive search and rescue operations have been ongoing for five days.
Mohanlal, who was awarded the rank of Lt Colonel in 2009, arrived at the camp in Meppadi clad in his Army uniform. He held discussions with officers and then proceeded to the landslide zone in an Army vehicle. “We are heading to the affected areas now,” the 64-year-old actor-producer said.
The catastrophic landslides that struck Kerala’s hilly district on Tuesday have claimed over 300 lives. As the search operations continued into the fifth day, the armed forces, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), state disaster response teams, and volunteers intensified their rescue efforts. Official reports confirm that 341 autopsies have been conducted and 146 bodies identified to date.
Actor & Lt Col (Hon) @Mohanlal along with his 122 TA Bn visits #Wayanad, bringing hope & support to those affected by the devastating floods! His presence is a morale booster for the relief efforts & a testament to the power of compassion & solidarity.#wecare… pic.twitter.com/TzKadpckij
— A. Bharat Bhushan Babu (@SpokespersonMoD) August 3, 2024
On Thursday, the Army swiftly constructed a 190-foot-long Bailey bridge to reconnect Mundakkai and Chooralmala, two of the worst-hit villages by the landslides. Other affected villages include Attamala and Noolpuzha.
A significant part of the rescue operations has been focused on the 40-kilometer stretch of the Chaliyar river, which runs through the districts of Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode. More than a hundred bodies have been recovered from the river and its banks.
The large-scale disaster in this ecologically sensitive district has been attributed to various factors, including governmental negligence. Some experts also cite climate change as a contributing factor, pointing to unusual weather patterns in the Arabian Sea that led to unprecedented rainfall in Kerala, triggering the deadly landslides.
