Air Force to join rescue operations at Wayanad, says CM Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram, July 30 (IANS) Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday after having discussions with top Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) officials on the situation in the landslide-affected Wayanad areas, where 19 people have died, said that the Air Force is joining the rescue mission.He told the media here that information about the landslide-affected areas was coming in and at the moment it was a bit early to say more.“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi called me and have assured all the support and help. A team of Air Force officials are coming to speed up the rescue operations. We are getting information and once we get it we will be informing the media. So let us wait for it,” said CM Vijayan at the KSDMA office.At least 19 people were killed in a massive landslide at Churalpara in Kerala’s Wayanad on Tuesday and around 400 families are trapped in a few areas in and around the affected areas.The landslides were reported to have occurred at around 2 a.m. and the area was cut off.Noorudhin, a resident at Churalpara, said there are around 40 people in the area where he lives are stranded and waiting for rescue operators to arrive.Union Minister of State George Kurian said the Army, Air Force and Navy officials besides teams of the National Disaster Response Force are also reaching.The affected areas include Velarimala which is now been identified where the landslides took place.–IANSsg/dpb