
During a recent parliamentary session, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai indicated that the disastrous landslips in Kerala's Wayanad district on July 30, 2024, claimed the lives of 298 people. This number consists of 32 people who had been reported missing and later certified dead.
The landslides hit hard the Punchirimattom, Chooralmala, and Mundakkai villages, bringing widespread devastation. The central government sanctioned ₹153.47 crore for relief activities in the aftermath of the tragedy, which included costs for mobilizing Indian Air Force helicopters and clearing debris.Besides, ₹388 crore was transferred to Kerala's State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in the financial year 2024-25, comprising ₹291.20 crore as central share and ₹96.80 crore as state share. All the central share had been released as of October 1, 2024.
As of April 1, 2024, the Kerala Accountant General had ₹394.99 crore balance in the SDRF, which was more than enough to fund ongoing relief operations. Kerala also conducted a Post Disaster Need Assessment with an estimated ₹2,219 crore needed for recovery and reconstruction. The 2024 Wayanad landslides are amongst the deadliest of Kerala's history, and underscore the imperative necessity for enhanced disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies across vulnerable regions