Wayanad landslides: Tamil Nadu chips in; to send relief team, assistance of Rs 5 crore

Chennai: As Kerala grapples with a massive landslide in Wayanad region, Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday decided to rush three teams of fire and rescue personnel, doctors and support staff, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to the site to lend a helping land in the rescue efforts.

Chief Minister M K Stalin also deputed two senior IAS officers – G Sameeran and Johnny Tom Varghese – to Wayanad to oversee the relief operations that will be undertaken by teams from the state. Stalin also announced that the state government will contribute Rs 5 crore for the relief efforts from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Common Relief Fund.

The Chief Minister spoke to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan over the phone and assured every possible assistance from the Tamil Nadu government. “In this situation, the Chief Minister has asked Sameeran and Varghese, both born in Kerala, to travel to Wayanad along with the relief and rescue team,” a statement from the government said.

The relief and rescue teams will consist of 20 firefighters under the leadership of a joint director, a SDRF team with 20 personnel, and 10 doctors along with nurses and support staff. “The Chief Minister has directed them to leave for Kerala today,” the statement added.