Hopes of discovering extra survivors are fading as rescue operations proceed in Kerala, the place large landslides have killed 182 folks, in keeping with officers.
Almost 200 persons are nonetheless lacking after Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas in Wayanad district had been flattened by thick torrents of mud and water on Tuesday.
Rescue operations have been hampered by heavy rains within the area all week.
The military is setting up a short lived bridge to Mundakkai, which is throughout a swollen river, to assist stranded residents and seek for extra survivors.
Well being officers reported 256 autopsies, however that included quite a few physique elements.
On Thursday, Wayanad remained on excessive alert for extra rains as colleges and schools had been closed for the day.
The hilly district is thought for its cardamom plantations and tea estates and has a number of in style vacationer spots.
Officers mentioned almost 1,600 folks had been rescued from the affected villages and tea estates. However migrant staff from the estates had been amongst these nonetheless lacking.
Greater than 8,000 folks have been moved to 82 reduction camps arrange within the district, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has mentioned.
The military is now constructing a short lived steel bridge to Mundakkai village, which is among the many worst affected by the landslides.
Earlier, rescuers had constructed a short lived pedestrian bridge and used ropes to rappel throughout the river to succeed in stranded folks there and transfer the injured to hospitals.
However heavy rains and powerful river present had made it troublesome to hold out full-fledged rescue work.
The momentary steel bridge is anticipated to be full by Thursday night. It is going to permit ambulances and heavy equipment to maneuver rubble and seek for survivors, Main Common Vinod Mathew informed reporters.
In the meantime, the air pressure is conducting sorties to determine areas with survivors and distribute reduction materials.
Three military sniffer canines had been anticipated to succeed in the catastrophe zone to assist detect folks nonetheless trapped below the rubble.
“Nonetheless giant areas are to be explored and searched to search out out whether or not reside persons are there or not,” senior police officer MR Ajith Kumar informed AFP information company on Wednesday.
TV footage confirmed harrowing scenes at reduction camps and hospitals as survivors searched for his or her family members or waited for information of them.
One man listed out names of those that had nonetheless not been discovered as he informed Manorama Information, “My home was spared however I’ve misplaced many youngsters who had been like my very own.”
At a group centre that had our bodies displayed for identification, a younger man informed The NewsMinute that he had recognized two of his uncles, however was nonetheless trying to find seven different kin.
“I’m in contact with folks at different centres the place our bodies are positioned and they’re sending me footage, however I’m but to determine any of my different lacking kin,” he informed the information web site.
With extra heavy rainfall forecast for the district, the federal government has warned residents to be ready for flash floods.