'She was dreaming about a job in US, everything has gone now', father of class 9 girl breaks down

Meppadi: Cries, cries and cries everywhere. There are people who have lost their dear ones. There are people who have been desperately waiting for information about their family members who disappeared in the horror that struck them in the night during their sleep. It seems like a hopeless wait, as 48 hours have passed since the disaster struck. Even as the hope of seeing their dear ones again fades with each passing moment, people cling on to their hopes, praying for a miracle to bring their loved ones back.

Everyone you meet here will break your heart, as you know these people have lost everything, including their family members. A video of a father speaking to a reporter of Mathrubhumi News is one such instance, as the father breaks down several times during his conversation with the reporter while speaking about his missing daughter, who is a class 9 student.

“I woke up from sleep on hearing a sound similar to that of an approaching helicopter. The wind was so strong. I tried to wake up my father-in-law and daughter, who were sleeping in the same room, but they didn’t wake up. As I called ‘Manikkutty,’ her name, I thought my throat  would burst,” he said. “I have lost many of my relatives in the landslide. My house is situated above the road. As I took as many people as I could, we survived the disaster. But I could not take my ‘Manikkutty’ with me. My ancestral house down below the road was swept away in the landslide. A girl named Mubeena from next door was seen flowing in the knee-deep mud and called me for help, but I was helpless,” the man said in utter dismay. “Three days have gone by since my daughter went missing.”

“My house is situated just above Vellarmala School. I am a daily wage worker of the estate. My daughter would keep telling me that I should work only for ten more years, as she would go to the US,” he said. “She used to tell me not to worry about the future and to wait for ten more years,” he choked as a wave of deep anguish enveloped him.

“Around 100 people are missing from this region. I have lost everything and all my relatives and friends. All my family members in Mundakkai are gone. I am not worried about the loss of my house and property. But my daughter… How dearly I have brought her up… How can I endure this pain…” he cried as he leaned on the shoulders of the reporter, who was struggling to turn his face away from the camera, as he could not stop tears flowing out.