Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visi Wayanad and offered messages of support to people there struggling to recover from devastating landslides…reports Asian Lite News
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday visited Kerala’s Wayanad and offered messages of support to people there struggling to recover from devastating landslides that have killed nearly 300 so far with another 200 still missing.
To underline the emotional impact of their visit Rahul Gandhi told reporters “I feel how I felt when my father (ex-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, assassinated in May 1991) died”.
“I remember what I felt when my father died. But here people have not just lost a father… they have lost families… brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. I know what I felt (when his father was killed) and this is much worse than that. It is not one person suffering but thousands.”
Gandhi also responded firmly to political jabs over the landslides.
“I don’t think this is the time or place to discuss political issues. People here need help. I am not interested in politics at this moment. My focus is on the people of Wayanad.”
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – who will make her electoral debut from Wayanad, after her brother surrenders that Lok Sabha seat in favour of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh – highlighted more agony.
“We met a boy who was holding on for six hours… trying to save his whole family but could not. He could only save his grandmother. We spent the day meeting people who suffered,” she said.
“It is an immense tragedy,” Priyanka said, “We can only imagine the kind of pain the people here are suffering. We are only here to give as much comfort and support as we can.”
She also welcomed offers of aid from neighbouring states.
Karnataka, where the Congress is in power, has offered financial and material aid, and is allowing unrestricted passage of emergency supplies via the Bandisur border check post.
Tamil Nadu, where the Congress is allied with the ruling DMK, has offered Rs 5 crore aid and manpower in the form of firefighters, doctors, and disaster response personnel. “Tomorrow, we plan to sit down and chalk out how we can help… especially children who are left on their own now,” Priyanka said.
Earlier today they visited the Chooralmala area in Wayanad, which was hit by a massive landslide early Tuesday, causing extensive destruction and loss of lives.
The flood of horrific videos circulating online – of powerful torrents of debris-strewn mud and boulders flattening everything, roads, bridges, and villages, in its path – only hint at the scale of the tragedy. Even high-res satellite images present only an idea of the destruction in Kerala.
One set of before-and-after images, shared by the Indian Space Research Organisation, suggests 86,000 sq m of land slipped and the debris flowed for 8 km along a river.
The debris flow widened the course of the river – the Iruvaniphuza – causing it to flood.
The Kerala government has launched multiple rescue and relief operations, with support from the Army, state and national disaster response forces, and emergency and medical teams.
Ominously, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said rescuers have yet to reach the first settlement hit by the landslide, and that it would be weeks before all the dead are counted.
The tragedy has not stopped some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from political attacks. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya claimed Rahul Gandhi has never raised the issue of landslides in his constituency.
The centre, however, has said it will offer all assistance. Union Minister George Kurian, who visited Wayanad this week, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army during the rescue operations in Wayanad found four persons alive in the rumble that included two men and two women on Friday.
According to the officials, the rescued individuals were stranded in the Padavetti Kunnu in Wayanad. The operation was carried out with precision and care, ensuring the safety of all individuals involved.
A casualty evacuation was coordinated, and an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) was launched to facilitate the rescue. The swift response and seamless execution of the operation ensured the timely evacuation of the stranded individuals, they added.
The Army statement said that one of the rescued females was experiencing difficulties with her leg and was provided with necessary medical attention.
Kerala ADGP (law and order) MR Ajith Kumar said that the revenue department is still trying to collect the data and find out how many people are here and how many people are missing.
“In the last four days, we have been doing operations here. A joint team of the Indian army, the NDRF, the local police, special operations groups, the fire force, the Coast Guard and the Navy have been operating in all these areas,” the ADGP said.