Indian Army constructs bridge in 24 hours for Wayanad rescue operations
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In a remarkable feat of engineering and efficiency, the Madras Engineering Group of the Indian Army completed a 190-feet-long Bailey bridge within 24 hours to aid rescue operations in Kerala's Wayanad district, which was devastated by landslides on Tuesday.
The bridge construction began at 9:30 pm on Wednesday and was finished by 5:30 pm on Thursday, effectively connecting the hardest-hit areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala.
Major General VT Mathew, General Officer Commanding of the Karnataka and Kerala Sub-Area, inaugurated the bridge by crossing it in his official vehicle. The structure, capable of supporting up to 24 tonnes, has significantly improved the transportation of rescue personnel and materials. "It has made transportation of men and material much easier," Major General Mathew told NDTV.
The army and local rescue teams are hopeful of finding more survivors, though the search has been challenging. "There is hope of finding more people. We have been looking everywhere. Some people are scared of coming out of their houses. There must be people who are unable to contact for help," said Major General Mathew.
Unfortunately, he added, the rescue teams are also searching for bodies. While district officials have reported a higher death toll, the army has recovered 120 bodies so far. "The number of dead is much more. These are only the bodies we have recovered," he stated.
To enhance the search efforts, the army is deploying radar equipment and sniffer dogs to locate bodies buried deep under debris. Although thermal scanners are also being used, their effectiveness is limited as they do not detect heat from dead bodies.
Earlier, rescue workers had constructed temporary wooden bridges to reach stranded individuals, but these structures failed during heavy rains on Wednesday. Materials for the new bridge were flown into Kannur airport from Delhi and Bengaluru and then transported to Wayanad by 17 trucks.
Rescue operations continue under harsh conditions, with teams racing against time to find survivors in collapsed buildings. The total death toll from the landslides has surpassed 330.
