Wayanad Landslide: It began with a tremendous noise, and next moment we were fleeing, recalls survivor

Meppadi, located in Kerala's Wayanad district and often called the poor man's Ooty, has experienced a significant transformation following a severe landslide caused by heavy rainfall and flooding. As a result, more than 1,000 residents in the area have found themselves stranded.

For the past two days, residents of Puthumala village, primarily tea estate workers, have faced the full brunt of the heavy rains and subsequent floods that have ravaged their community.

"Following the landslide, the small hill on which Puthumala stands—situated between two larger hills—is now reduced to a pile of mud and water. The destruction is overwhelming," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reported to the media in Thiruvananthapuram.

A female victim recounted the suddenness of the disaster: "My husband, my child, and I witnessed the landslide. It started with a tremendous noise, and the next moment we were fleeing for our lives."

A mosque, two temples, and numerous houses where tea estate laborers lived have been buried under the debris.

As the landslide occurred, people fled to the local forest office for refuge. Around 1,000 people have since been relocated to relief camps in nearby areas.

Around 500 of the individuals stranded in Meppadi have been relocated to temporary camps. A medical professional from the state government, who is providing essential medical care, reported that while there are no significant physical health issues, many people are in a state of mental shock.

'We ran holding hands'

In one relief camp, a young couple from Assam expressed their relief at surviving the disaster. "We ran holding hands, leaving behind all our belongings. It was terrifying," the young Assamese woman said in Hindi.

Survivors search for their family members

At another relief camp, several individuals were seen crying as they searched for their relatives. "We escaped the disaster, but I do not know where my husband is," a middle-aged woman said, clutching her son's hand.

The Kerala government has dispatched State Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran and State Ports Minister K. Ramachandran to Wayanad.

"This is an unprecedented tragedy, and we are committed to making life more bearable for the thousands of victims who have lost so much," Saseendran told the media.

According to the latest reports, Wayanad has received 260 mm of rainfall. This district is also the parliamentary constituency of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

In Wayanad alone, nearly 10,000 people are sheltering in various relief camps.