Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are likely to visit landslides-hit Wayanad on Thursday even as rescue and relief operations continue in full swing in the hilly district of Kerala.
Rahul, a former MP from Wayanad, and Priyanka, who is all set to contest the Lok Sabha byelection from the constituency, were scheduled to visit the disaster sites on Wednesday morning, but their travel was postponed by a day due to adverse weather conditions in the area.
Both Rahul and Priyanka are expected to visit the relief camps set up at the Government Higher Secondary School and St Joseph UP School, Meppadi. They will also visit Dr Moopen's Medical College in the town.
At least 158 people lost their lives and scores of others are still feared trapped under the debris as two major landslides triggered by torrential rains left a trail of destruction in Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala and Noolpuzha villages in the wee hours of Tuesday.
According to official sources, over 190 people are still missing while around 200 houses were completely damaged in the landslides.
"Rescue operations in Wayanad are continuing in full swing. Our land has never experienced such painful sights before," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday.
"In the two-day rescue operation, 1,592 people were rescued. This is the achievement of a coordinated and extensive mission to save so many people in a short span of time," he said.
The rescue teams from the Army, Navy, and NDRF are racing against time to pull out survivors while temporary hospitals and clinics have been set up in a church and madrasa.
