‘It sounded like a plane swooping in’: Witness recalls how first landslide hit Wayanad

“The sound was similar to that of an aeroplane swooping in,” Noorudheen CK said, recalling the landslide that first hit Mundakkai in Kerala's Wayanad around 1.30 am on July 30. Over the course of the next hour and a half, the entire village was swept away, he said. Noorudheen, a ward member of Chooralmala, is currently stuck in Mundakkai, one of the most affected areas in the landslide.

Due to the collapse of the Chooralmala-Mundakkai bridge in the early hours of July 30, around 200 individuals including Noorudheen have since been trapped in either of the villages. Residents of neighbouring villages and Fire Force personnel have been coordinating rescue efforts since morning. Currently, the Indian Army has taken over the mission, rescuing people across the river with the help of ropes.

“Many injured people are stuck at the Tree Valley Resort, the Mundakkai Masjid, and other spots. They are now being brought to the river bank, from where they will be shifted using a rope to the other side of the river,” Noorudheen explained.

Chooralmala is two kilometres away from Mundakkai and the bridge was the only means of road connectivity between the two towns and other parts of the district. On the other side of Mundakkai is the Nilambur forest. Notably, Mundakkai was one of the 18 areas identified as “eccologically sensitive localities” (ESL) in Kerala by the Madhav Gadgil committee more than 13 years ago. 

Noorudheen had gone to Chooralmala and surrounding areas on Monday, July 29, to alert the residents about the possibility of heavy rain and potential landslides. As a ward member, he had suggested that residents relocate immediately before heavy rain, he told TNM. “I came to alert my people. Some of them relocated yesterday (July 29) and escaped this disaster. Some were planning to move later, but got caught in this disaster,” he said, adding that three or four members of a single family have died in Mundakkai.

Following the rains of July 29, around 15 people had been shifted to a nearby school, said Noorudheen. This school, however, collapsed in the landslide. “But fortunately, upon hearing the sound of the landslide, the people inside the school quickly ran out and escaped the disaster,” he said.

According to Noorudheen, around 280 families used to live in Mundakkai, while around 150 were residing in Chooralmala. Mundakkai is dotted with tea plantations, with estate workers staying in settlements called ‘layams’.

“The damage happened around 200 metres away from where I stayed yesterday. Immediately after the landslide, we requested everyone to move to safer places. Some were moved to a nearby madrasa,” he said.

Though the Army is currently undertaking the evacuation of injured persons from Mundakkai, Noorudheen said that many more are stuck in the mud and under the rubble of the houses destroyed in the landslide. “The search for those who are missing will be carried out after the survivors are rescued. The Army personnel have said that the recovery of dead bodies will also be conducted after the rescue operation,” he said. 

Residents involved in the rescue efforts also told media persons that many people have come forward to help rescue those who are trapped and even recover bodies. However, the absence of sufficient equipment to remove debris is slowing down rescue efforts, according to a rescue worker who spoke to Media One.  “All we have with us are small household weapons, which are not enough for rescue operations. We do not have the equipment to remove concrete slabs and such and check underneath, despite some members of the rescue team apparently hearing cries for help from beneath the pile,” he said. 

Meanwhile, as the evening approached, rescue efforts became more strenuous. Heavy fog descended in the affected areas. Binu, a member of the rescue team in Mundakkai, told Mathrubhumi News that it was expected to get dark by 5 pm. “Everyone crossing over to Mundakkai from now on should carry torches with them. Residents in neighbouring villages are offering their torches, it would be helpful if the media and government also did something towards it. Mobile phone torches are insufficient,” Binu said. Rescue team members also hinted at the possibility that elephants might enter inhabited areas after nightfall.

The landslide-affected areas in Wayanad come under Meppadi grama panchayat in Kalpetta assembly constituency, including Meppadi, Chooralmala, and Mundakkai. So far, over 80 bodies have been recovered and several injured taken to hospitals, while many more are feared to be still trapped in the debris. 

Minister MB Rajesh issued directions to local self-government bodies to assess the disaster situation and take appropriate measures in consultation with the disaster management authority, instead of waiting for specific orders or instructions from the state government. “The local self-governing bodies will take the lead in preparing the relief camps and providing the necessary facilities there,” the minister said. 

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