[Watch] Storm Of Odisha Police Joins Search Ops With Victims’ Relatives In Wayand On 11th Day

Wayanad/Bhubaneswar: Storm from K9 Squad of Odisha Police was at ground zero in Wayanad assisting in the search operation for the missing 131 people, including a doctor from Odisha, on Friday, the 11th day of Kerala’s worst-ever natural calamity that has so far claimed over 400 lives.

Additional Director General of Police of the Criminal Investigation Department, Odisha, Arun Bothra shared some pictures and a video of storm on X and wrote: “Odisha has always walked the extra mile to assist other states during calamities and disasters.”

Meanwhile, four more bodies were recovered from a forest area in Soochipara-Kanthanpara region as survivors and relatives of the victims also joined the search team at 6 am to find those who are still missing in the landslides that hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala hamlets in the district on July 30.

A leg was found stuck in a tree, Manoroma reported, quoting rescue personnel.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has earlier said that inclusion of relatives in the search team was a “last-ditch effort” after exhausting all other avenues. The operation, however, ended at 11 am as the area had to be handed over to the Special Protection Group (SPG) in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit on Saturday.

“Officially, 225 deaths have been confirmed. The body parts of 195 individuals have been found in various locations. DNA samples of these body parts have been sent for testing. The search is still ongoing. Post-mortems have been conducted on 420 bodies, 178 bodies have been handed over to relatives, and 233 burials have taken place,” the CM said, adding that the state has requested the central government to declare this as a national disaster and a severe calamity.

Minister P A Mohammed Riyas told the media that the search operation will continue on Sunday. “Today we need to end the search operation due to security reasons. We will continue on Sunday,” he added.