Centre will examine legality of demands to declare Wayanad landslides a national disaster: Tourism Minister

Wayanad: Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday said that the Centre will examine the legality behind the demand from various quarters to classify as a national disaster the landslides that hit this north Kerala district and killed hundreds.

Gopi, who is Union Minister of State for Tourism, Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that the Central government will "examine its legal aspects" after carrying out an evaluation of the landslides which wiped away hundreds of homes in Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas of the district.

"The impact has to be studied," he said.

The Union MoS was speaking to reporters after arriving in Wayanad to visit the landslides-hit areas where he interacted with the rescue personnel on various aspects of the ongoing search operations.

He said that he will put forth before the Central government everything he saw and understood after visiting the disaster-hit areas.

With regard to the assistance to be provided by the Centre to Kerala, Gopi said that the state has to assess the impact of the landslides and make a request.

"The state has to inform the Centre. Only thereafter can anything be said on providing assistance," he said.

The actor-cum-politician also said that as part of the rehabilitation of the survivors, counselling should also be provided to them in view of the tragedy they have suffered.

According to the figures released by the district administration, 219 bodies and over 154 body parts have been recovered with around 206 persons still missing.

Stepping up the rescue operations, hundreds of personnel from various forces, including the NDRF, K-9 Dog Squad, Army, Special Operation Group, Madras Engineering Group, Police, Fire Force, Forest Department, Navy, and Coast Guard were deployed in the disaster-hit areas of Wayanad.