Malappuram: It has been a nightmare for people living on the banks of the Chaliyar river in Kerala's Malappuram. Since the landslide in Wayanad early on Tuesday, bodies and body parts have been floating in the water and are being removed by the police and disaster relief personnel as well as by local people.
Around two dozen bodies and several body parts have been found and the sight of those engaged in collecting the remains and placing them in plastic covers is heart-breaking.
Malappuram's Superintendent of Police S Sasidharan said it was sad to see what was happening in the Chaliyar river as bodies are being fished out.
"It is just not bodies alone but various body parts of men, women and children. There are two big teams engaged in doing this and they are reaching several areas through which the river flows. Since it has been three days, the chances are that if any bodies are stuck in the mud, they could now start floating," he said.
The Chaliyar River originates from Wayanad where a landslide took place and flows into the Malappuram district, located around 80 to 100km from the place of the disaster.
The massive rescue operation involving officials from various defence, police, fire service and disaster relief bodies, besides locals, is currently on at the four worst-affected landslide areas of Wayanad district -- Churalpara, Velarimala, Mundakayil, and Pothukalu.
Thousands of people were caught unaware when two landslides took place early on Tuesday.
The toll is over 280 and around 200 people are missing as distraught relatives are running from hospitals to sites where the recovered bodies are being kept.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who arrived at Wayanad and inspected some of the affected areas and relief camps, said the authorities would conduct DNA tests on the bodies and body parts recovered from the Chaliyar river. IANS