National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel conduct rescue operation after huge landslides in the hilly areas near Meppadi, in Wayanad district, Kerala.
Credit: NDRF
New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: The NDRF has deployed one team while three more are on the way to Kerala's Wayanad to undertake rescue and relief operations in the hilly district where landslides claimed at least 45 lives on Tuesday, officials said.
These floodwater and landslide rescue teams are armed with various tools, pole and wire cutting machines, inflatable boats and basic medicines, they said.
One team is already working in the area while one each is being rushed in from Kerala, Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) (Operations) Mohsen Shahedi said the teams will be assisting the state government authorities and other agencies deployed for rescue work in Wayanad.
Officials said the NDRF teams comprise about 30 personnel each. The first NDRF team has recovered 21 bodies, rescued one person and evacuated 74 people from the affected area, they said.
Heavy rains triggered the massive landslides in the hilly areas of Wayanad district. Hundreds are feared trapped under the debris.
Apart from the NDRF, teams of Kerala fire force, police, forest department, revenue, Army and local self-government departments are involved in the rescue operations.