In the wake of the triple landslides that caused massive destruction in Kerala’s Wayanad, several persons are looking for their loved ones among the injured and the dead brought to the hospitals in Meppadi and other parts of the district. Many residents of Mundakkai had moved to their relatives’ houses in other parts of the district on Monday, July 29, following the heavy rains. Several others who stayed behind in Mundakkai ended up being trapped, following the landslide that occurred in the early hours of July 30. Even as rescue missions were trying to reach Mundakkai, another landslide is said to have occurred in the area around 1.45 pm on July 30.
Speaking to Asianet News from the Meppadi Community Health Centre, Mundakkai resident Kunju Muhammed said, “There is no one here from Mundakkai. I escaped this massive landslide only because I shifted from there around 2 pm last evening along with my children. Some 68-70 houses used to be there in that area. Nobody from there is here. My relatives and friends are missing now.”
Kunju Muhammed came to know about the landslide at around 1.45 am on the morning of July 30. “I don't know how many people have escaped. Nobody from Mundakkai is here at the hospital. I don't know what happened to the others,” he added.
People are visiting the hospitals and rescue camps, searching for their relatives and friends. Another person at Meppadi Community Health Centre told Asianet News, “My brother-in-law and his wife died. Currently, I am searching for my uncle, aunt, and their children who used to stay on the banks of the Chaliyar river in Mundakkai. We tried to contact them several times but nobody is attending the call.”
The woman added that her uncle and family were safe when last contacted on the morning of July 29. “But around 3 am they called me and said they were trying to escape and it was flooded there. Their houses were damaged in the 2019 Puthumala landslide as well,” she added.
According to reports, many are struggling to identify their loved ones. Among 48 dead bodies in the Meppadi Community Health Centre, only 28 were identified. “My sister’s daughter and her family are missing. She was at her home in Mundakkai yesterday night around 12. I have no other information,” another woman said.
The only bridge to Mundakkai across the Chaliyar river was swept away in the landslide, making the area inaccessible. Rescue teams including fire force personnel have reached there using ropes to cross the river. However, adverse weather conditions and strong currents are making rescue efforts difficult.
Wayanad is a hilly region dotted with tea estates. The estate workers live in houses called ‘layams’ on the hills. Many of the layams were destroyed in the rains, while others were totally devastated by landslides that trapped and killed the residents. The landslides happened between 2 am and 6 am on Tuesday, July 30.
The affected areas come under the Kalpetta assembly constituency. They include Meppadi, Chooralmala, Vythiri, and Mundakkai. So far, over 70 bodies have been recovered, over a hundred persons injured, and hundreds are feared trapped in the debris.