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Life can Change in an Instant

by Lakshmi Menon
(Bangalore, India)


( Image courtesy: Muhsin Mohd, Pixaby)

Wayanad, a beautiful tourist destination of Kerala, was attracting thousands of visitors every year.  With the adorning hills set high in the Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2,100 meters, it  was a paradise for nature lovers, with scenic beauty, and winding roads.   On the fateful night of 29th July 2024 the residents of Punchirimattom, Mundakkai and Chooralmala, went to bed as usual, with their beautiful dreams and many plans for the next day, but by the early hours of morning of 30th July 2024, all of a sudden everything changed for the worst caused by multiple landslides.

Wayanad turned out to be a hell with the heartbroken cries of the innocent people who resided there happily and peacefully like a big joint family, irrespective of their religions. Hearing the terrible sound of the landslides, and the gush of water in the pitch darkness of the night the panic stricken residents ran helter shelter for help, amidst the thumping sounds of the torrential rains. The intensity of the landslide was so high that it split the Iruvanipuzha river, which flows through the area, into two. 

Within minutes, the hills with its gigantic rocks and huge trees fell into the river and rolled away. In a matter of seconds, the serene waters of the beautiful Chaliyar river, which was the pride of the villages, turned deadly, swallowing many of the residents mercilessly, before they could do anything for their safety. Although the rescue team had arrived soon they had many challenges before them as the connectivity was lost in the fury of nature. They built a Baily bridge there and were able to save many lives.

In the massive landslides, hundreds lost their lives, several reported missing, many got injured and the rest became orphans losing their kith and kin. Many lost their homes, documents, property, gold and other valuables. Today, the grief stricken survivors stand there and stare at the places with heaps of slush and huge rocks  where several houses stood before the disaster. The Government School, which was once echoed with the laughter of children  now bears the scars of devastation. The places were suddenly transformed into chaos and destruction.  The hills collapsed, resulting in the boulders cascading down onto the houses and roads. As a result, the bridges collapsed, roads washed away and the houses flattened.  

Amidst this catastrophe, there were many heartbroken stories. Neethu, the first informant of the disaster, was a young wife and a mother of a 4 year old. She was a staff member of a nearby hospital. Hearing the loud noise of the landslide, she called her hospital friends to inform them of the gravity of the situation and for help. In the meanwhile, she gave shelter to her panic stricken neighbours in her house which was comparatively a safer place, they thought. But soon, as the water gushed inside the house, her family members and the  neighbours were moved to yet another safer place. Unfortunately, before Neethu could get any help for herself, she was washed away in the gush of water, and her body  was recovered on the 5th day from 70 kms away. 
 
In another case, with an attempt to reach the forest area for safety, a panicked middle aged woman named Sujatha left her house holding her 9 year old granddaughter's hand in the midnight. After about half-an hour's terrible journey, they reached the forest. To their utter shock, they were landed in front of 3 elephants.  Two of them were busy eating something a few feet away, but a huge elephant stood just in front of Sujatha and her granddaughter. With folded hands, Sujatha  pleaded with the elephant  not to harm them as they were coming from the mouth of death.  The kind hearted animal, as though understood their plight, stood there with tearful eyes and safeguarded them while they slept there till morning. 

In another painful incident, two newly married couples from the North were there in a resort with their wives for their honeymoon, without knowing what was in store for them.  Before starting their married lives, both the injured women lost their husbands in the tragedy. 

It is reported that the landslide in Wayanad, which washed away three villages, is the biggest disaster in the history of Kerala.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to this area on the 10th August2024 has given them great relief.

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