Heartbreaking! Wayanad landslide death toll crosses 250; families struggle to cope with loss
Wayanad (Kerala): Heart-rending wails of grief and despair echoed through Wayanad district as families identified and performed the last rites for their loved ones, victims of the devastating landslides. According to official sources, over 250 people have been confirmed dead, with many others injured in the tragic incident.
People of all ages were seen weeping inconsolably as they identified bodies, lined up in coffin refrigerators at the Meppadi Family Health Centre and Nilambur Government Hospital, or took a final, sorrowful look at them.
Similar scenes unfolded where the remains were buried or cremated close together.
The Wayanad district administration has released images showing bodies being cremated side-by-side in both wood- and gas-based cremation furnaces.
At Meppadi Juma Masjid, a mosque committee member confirmed that arrangements are in place for the burial of the deceased.
"As and when the remains are identified and brought here, they will be buried. Arrangements for that have been made, and everyone is helping out," the committee member stated.
The district administration reports that over 220 people are missing, and many homes have been completely destroyed in the landslides that struck the Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas. The death toll is expected to rise further, with hundreds feared buried under the debris.
The massive landslides, triggered by torrential rains, struck Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha hamlets in the early hours of Tuesday, resulting in numerous casualties, including women and children.
With PTI inputs