Desperate phone calls for help: Wayanad reels from deadly landslides

Wayanad: In a devastating event early Tuesday, high-range villages in Kerala's Wayanad district were hit by landslides, leaving many trapped under collapsed homes and heaps of debris. Frantic phone calls flooded emergency lines as residents pleaded for rescue.

Television broadcasts aired heart-wrenching conversations of trapped individuals crying out for help. A woman from Chooralmala town sobbed as she described a family member stuck under rubble. "Someone, please come and help us. We have lost our house. We don't know whether Nausheen (apparently a family member) is alive. She is trapped in the marsh. Our house is in the town itself...," the woman could be heard saying.

Another resident, struggling to comprehend the situation, spoke of ongoing tremors in the area. "The earth is trembling. There is a huge noise in the place. We have no way to come from Chooralmala," he said.

Another caller urgently reported that a significant number of individuals were trapped under mud, fighting for their lives in Mundakkai. "If someone can come here by vehicle from the Meppadi area, we can save the lives of hundreds of people," he said.

One elderly man, injured and distraught, recounted being rescued but feared for his missing wife. "We were sleeping in the house. Suddenly, a loud noise was heard, and huge boulders and trees were seen suddenly falling down on the roof of our house. Flood water entered the premises, destroying the shutters in front of the house," he said.

Authorities confirmed the grim toll: over 20 lives lost due to the landslides that ravaged Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages. Bridges were washed away, and roads became impassable, isolating the affected areas.

Rescue operations are underway, but the situation remains dire as teams struggle to reach those in need amidst the challenging terrain.

Agencies