• Source:ANI
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Wayanad Landslides: Two days after massive landslides struck Kerala’s Wayanad district, the death toll has crossed the 300 mark. Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that the current death toll stands at 308, as reported by news agency ANI. Meanwhile, 40 teams of rescuers began search operations in the landslide-hit district on the fourth day as scores of people are still missing. 

The 40 teams will conduct search operations in six zones of the landslides-hit areas. The first zone consists of Attamala and Aaranmala. The second zone includes Mundakkai, Punjirimattam is the third zone, Vellarmala Village Road is the fourth zone, GVHSS Vellarmala is the fifth zone and riverbank  Chaliyar is the sixth zone, as reported by news agency PTI. The rescue operations will be further widened and also include a drone-based radar to find the survivors. 

Wayanad Landslides: Here Are The Latest Updates

- Nearly 25 ambulances will cross the Bailey Bridge constructed by the Indian Army in record time to Mundakkai after it collapsed following the landslides. On Saturday, a drone-based radar from Delhi will come to search for survivors.

- Officials from the Coast Guard, Navy, and Forest Department will scour the banks of the Chaliyar River and other areas where the bodies might have washed up.

- Meanwhile, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi, who arrived in Wayanad to oversee the rescue and relief work, will meet with party leaders today. They will reportedly meet the Meppadi gram panchayat and attend a briefing by the district administration.

- The Gandhi siblings are likely to visit the forest office in Mundakkai and Chooralmala today. Both these places were heavily damaged following the landslides. 

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- Earlier, United States (US) President Joe Biden extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the landslides in Wayanad and appreciated the rescuers for their bravery despite the challenges in the recovery efforts.

- The India Meteorological Department of Kerala issued an orange alert in the Wayanad district until Saturday.

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- "We have issued an orange alert in 4 northern districts of Kerala including Wayanad. In the south till up to Pathanamthitta, we have issued a yellow alert also. From tomorrow there will considerable reduction in rainfall activity. So the yellow alerts are being confirmed only to the northern districts of Kerala. And then from Sunday there will be a reduction and we will be experiencing only light to moderate rain thereafter for another four days," IMD Kerala director, Neetha K Gopal said.