Kerala Landslides: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka to visit calamity-hit Wayanad today as death toll reaches 167

Congress Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are visiting the landslide affected areas of Kerala's Wayanad district today, August 1. The leaders aim to meet with families impacted by the natural disaster and assess the situation on the ground, according to party sources.

The visit was initially scheduled for yesterday morning but was postponed due to adverse weather conditions, particularly continuous rainfall that hindered safe landing for the leaders.

During their visit, the Gandhis plan to stop by relief camps set up at the Government Higher Secondary School and St. Joseph UP School in Meppadi. They will also visit Dr. Moopen’s Medical College in the same area.

At least 167 people have been killed and around 219 injured after massive landslides struck the hilly areas in Kerala's Wayanad district due to heavy rain early Tuesday morning. The news was confirmed late Tuesday night by Kerala Health Minister Veena George in a Facebook post.

Agencies including the NDRF and the Army have been deployed in the district as many are still feared trapped under the debris. Chooralmala, Mundakkai, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages were among the worst affected. Many people are also feared to have been washed away in the Chaliyar river.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan called the landslides a heart-wrenching disaster. "The landslide in Wayanad is a heart-wrenching disaster. There was extremely heavy rainfall. An entire area has been wiped out. Many who went to sleep last night have been swept away," he said.

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