Rahul: Landslides in Wayanad a national disaster

Wayanad, NT Bureau: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with sister Priyanka visited landslides-hit areas of Wayanad on Thursday and said he was "deeply pained" to see people who have lost family members and homes in the tragedy, calling it a "national disaster" and demanded a comprehensive action plan.

Gandhi said it was a "terrible tragedy for Wayanad, Kerala, and the nation."

"It is quite a painful experience to see that people lost their family members and houses. It's very difficult to speak to people in these circumstances because you really don't know what to say to them. It's been quite a difficult day for me, but we are going to try and help make sure that the survivors get what is due," he said.

Meanwhile, according to Manorama News, Wayanad toll has risen to 296 while 240 are still missing. Gandhi said that he now feels the same way he did when his father died.

"I remember what I felt when my father died. Here, people have not just lost their fathers, they have lost their entire families. I know what I have felt and it is much worse than that.''