Wayanad: Sanal, a 40-year-old taxi driver who is currently in the Meppadi relief camp recalled the chilling moments during the wee hours of Tuesday when a huge sound was heard at close range while he woke up and had to flee out of his house at Punjiri Vattom along with his children, parents and wife.
While speaking to News9, Sanal revealed the harrowing experience that he and his sister’s family had faced during the early hours when it was heavily raining with chilling cold climate.
“When I heard the huge noise, I was sure that there is a major disaster that has taken place and within seconds I got to know it was a landslide. Had to wake up my parents, children and wife in a hurry and run with everything that we could hold on with us. By the time, I came out I could see large boulders outside and water gushing through the roads. By the time we moved out, my sister and family also managed to flee the spot”, said Sanal to News9.
Valsamma, a 55-year-old who miraculously escaped from Mundakkai along with her husband and children remembered the harrowing experience while she saw few of her neighbors who were stuck in the clay and were not able to get up and move from the spot.
“The moment we heard the noise, we ran out and heard people crying for help. I could see myself few of them stuck in the clay portions. We could only see hands emerging from the ground. Me and husband carried a boy who was already injured and dragged him till the road. From there we along with few of our neighbors was running to a safe place. It was only while we reached the camp that we go to know a majority of them are still missing”, she said while speaking to the media in Chooral Mala
Flattened buildings, mud-filled potholes, and cracked land dotted with huge boulders—these were the scenes at Mundakkai junction and nearby Chooralmala Town a day after the disaster.
With mud and debris here and there and giant boulders brought down by the flood waters from the hilltop, it would be hard for anyone to believe that the place was a busy junction and a town until a day ago. Many in the camps don’t have the courage to visit their homes which is
People could be seen frantically searching for the dead and injured in the damaged structures and beneath the heaps of debris.
The roofs of buildings were flattened, and damaged vehicles were spotted stuck to boulders in many areas.
“We have lost everything…everyone…Nothing is left for us here,” said Mohammed an elderly man could be heard whispering amidst his search in Mundakkai.
Many of those who was contacted living in the relief camps were not in a position to speak as they were heartbroken have become speechless.
There are hundreds of other who had been speaking to the local media about the horrific ordeals they had gone through in the wee hours where they saw women and children crying for help.
Currently, there are 82 relief camps in Wayanad where there are 8024 people residing.
“When I heard the huge noise, I was sure that there is a major disaster that has taken place and within seconds I got to know it was a landslide. Had to wake up my parents, children and wife in a hurry and run with everything that we could hold on with us. By the time, I came out I could see large boulders outside and water gushing through the roads. By the time we moved out, my sister and family also managed to flee the spot”, said Sanal to News9. Kerala States News India: Top News India, States News, States News Headlines, Online State News India, State Politics news
