Tragedy in Wayanad: TMC and Congress Extend Support amidst Landslide Devastation

TMC MPs Saket Gokhale and Sushmita Dev, directed by Mamata Banerjee, visited landslide-stricken Wayanad. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor emphasized the need for long-term disaster policies. The landslides have claimed 308 lives, with ongoing efforts for relief and rehabilitation.

All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale and TMC MP Sushmita Dev visited landslide-hit Wayanad following directives from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday. Gokhale described the human tragedy in Wayanad as devastating and heartbreaking. 'My colleague Sushmita Dev AITC & I are in Wayanad, Kerala, this morning on the directions of our Chairperson Mamata Banerjee. The human tragedy in Wayanad has been devastating & heartbreaking. We are here to meet the affected families & let them know that we & Bengal are with them,' Gokhale said on social media.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has advocated for an active policy framework on disaster response and mitigation. He stressed the need for long-term government responses to rehabilitate those affected by the natural disaster. Tharoor told ANI, 'While essentials like food are adequately available in Wayanad, we brought mattresses and other immediate relief supplies. However, the focus must shift to long-term solutions. For instance, relief camps in schools must be relocated as children need to resume their education. Government intervention is crucial for setting up long-term residential arrangements and rebuilding homes.'

The death toll from the massive landslides that struck Chooralmala and Mundakkai in Wayanad on July 30 has reached 308, reported Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Friday. To date, 215 bodies and 143 body parts have been recovered, comprising 98 males, 87 females, and 30 children. Post-mortem examinations have been completed on 212 bodies, and 148 have been identified by relatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)