Wayanad landslides: PM Narendra Modi promises all help, Kerala govt demands 'national disaster' tag | Kozhikode News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

KOZHIKODE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Saturday we visited the areas ravaged by landslides Wayanad The Prime Minister assured that the Centre would provide all possible assistance in the relief and rehabilitation efforts. He described the tragedy as “nature revealing its furious form”.
“The Centre will support the state government to help those who have lost everything in the disaster,” Modi said, asserting that no work would be hampered due to lack of funds.
“It is our social responsibility to ensure that the dreams of the affected people are not shattered. The government and the country are with them,” the prime minister said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan The Prime Minister said in a statement that during his meeting with the Prime Minister, he had requested financial support for the rehabilitation of those who lost everything in the landslide and assistance to combat climate change. The Prime Minister also demanded that the Wayanad landslide be declared a “serious disaster” and a “national disaster” as soon as possible.
Modi said that though his “heart was heavy” on hearing the news of the disaster, he came to Wayanad now as he did not want his visit to hamper the relief and rescue operations carried out earlier. He said he had seen everything in detail and it was easier to take decisions “when you have first-hand information”.
The Prime Minister landed at Kannur airport in the morning and arrived in Wayanad at 11:47 a.m. on board a The IAF helicopter.
PM Modi stresses the need to formulate long-term plans
En route to Wayanad, the Prime Minister took an aerial survey of the areas affected by landslides of ChooralmalaMundakkai, Punchirimattam and the origin of the landslide. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister of State for Petroleum Suresh Gopi and Chief Secretary V Venu accompanied the Prime Minister in the helicopter.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister landed at SKMJ School in Kalpetta at 12.15 pm and then proceeded by road to Chooralmala.
Modi toured the affected sites with officials including chief secretary Venu, district collector DR Meghashree and ADGP MR Ajith Kumar, getting a first-hand view of the destruction caused by the July 30 landslide.
The Prime Minister also visited the site of the destruction. Vellarmala School and the Bailey Bridge built by the army. He spoke to military personnel involved in the rescue operations.
Later he visited the relief camp The survivors were received at St. Joseph School in Meppadi and were given the opportunity to interact with them. In an emotional atmosphere, the teary-eyed survivors shared their grief with the Prime Minister, who comforted them by placing his hand on their heads, hugging them and giving them words of comfort, assuring them that the nation was with them.
Ayyappan, a survivor of the devastating landslide that swept through Mundakkai, said: “There were 12 of us from the camp who met the prime minister. There were children too. There was a person who translated everything. I just asked for accommodation. He assured me of all possible help.”
“I told him that nine members of my family were missing. We lost our land, but land is not the issue, I lost my family… The prime minister supported me while I narrated my losses,” Ayyappan said.
The Prime Minister then visited VIMS Hospital in Meppadi, where he met the injured. He hugged the children, enquired about their well-being and comforted the injured and their families before leaving.
At 4:00 pm, the Prime Minister chaired a review meeting at the Governor's office. Modi said he had been closely following the relief efforts in Wayanad and was in constant touch with the authorities. He said the disaster management funds had already been released and the remaining amount would be released immediately.
He also stressed the need to formulate new long-term plans to help the affected people, especially children who have lost their families. He expressed confidence that the state government would play a crucial role in this regard, with the full support of the Centre.
The Prime Minister assured the people of Wayanad that the country and the Union government would leave no stone unturned to restore livelihoods in the region, including homes, schools, road infrastructure and the future of children.
The meeting, held at the Collector's chamber, was also attended by Governor, CM, Union MoS Suresh Gopi, state ministers K Rajan, AK Saseendran, PA Mohammed Riyas, OR Kelu, Chief Secretary Venu, DGP Sheikh Darvesh Saheb, District Collector and ADGP Ajith Kumar.