Over 150 dead bodies have been recovered so far in the tragic triple landslides that hit Wayanad on Tuesday, July 30. As more than 24 hours passed since the disaster hit the hilly region, more than 200 persons are still missing in Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Kalpetta Assembly constituency.
While rescue efforts in Chooralmala had begun on Tuesday morning itself, Mundakkai had remained inaccessible for rescue teams till late afternoon as the only bridge to the area had been washed off by the landslide.
By Tuesday evening, the fire force and army created a makeshift bridge and around 200 people were evacuated from Mundakkai through the bridge. Dead bodies recovered from Mundakkai were moved out using a zip line to cross the river.
After the weather turned favourable, IAF helicopters landed in Chooralmala and evacuated the critically injured.
Rescue efforts were resumed in the morning of Wednesday, July 31. The Army and other volunteers’ are retrieving dead bodies trapped inside ruined houses in Mundakkai.
The tragedy struck Wayanad between 1.30 am and 6 am on Tuesday. Triple landslides swept away large parts of Attamala, Mundakkai, Vellarmala, and Chooralmala in Meppadi grama panchayat.
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.