Kerala Rain: Death Toll Mounts To 290 In Wayanad Landslides, Schools Shut In 7 Districts

All educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and tuition centers, in Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts will remain closed on Friday, August 2, due to heavy rain predictions.

The decision comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an 'orange' alert for Wayanad district, which has already been severely affected by massive landslides, reportedly claiming more than 290 lives.

In Palakkad, the district collector has declared a holiday for schools, anganwadis, tuition centers, and madrassas. However, colleges and residential schools, such as Navodaya, are allowed to remain open.

Similarly, in Thrissur, district collector Arjun Pandian ordered a holiday as heavy rain, strong winds, and waterlogging continue to disrupt daily life. He noted that many schools are being used as relief camps. Examinations and interviews, however, will proceed as scheduled in all affected districts.

In Idukki and Ernakulam districts, schools set up as relief camps will also remain closed on Friday. The IMD has predicted that heavy rains will continue across Kerala until August 5.

In Wayanad, rescuers are racing against time to search for survivors trapped under collapsed buildings, three days after the landslides struck the hill district. While unconfirmed reports suggest over 290 deaths, Kerala Revenue Minister K Rajan confirmed at least 190 fatalities, with the toll expected to rise as many are still missing. The Wayanad district administration reported that the dead include 27 children and 76 women, with more than 225 others injured, primarily in the worst-hit areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala.

Rescue efforts are being hampered by treacherous terrain, destroyed roads and bridges, and a shortage of heavy equipment, making it difficult for emergency personnel to clear the mud and uprooted trees that have fallen on houses and other buildings. Despite these challenges, the Indian Army has completed the construction of the Cl 24 Bailey Bridge in record time, connecting Chooralmala with Mundakkai over the Iruvanipzha River, and it has been handed over to the Civil Administration.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the landslide site at Chooralmala, Wayanad, on Thursday. He addressed the media, describing the situation as a "terrible tragedy" for Wayanad and emphasised that "there is a lot that needs to be done here."