‘They had gone to the house to get food...’: Family recounts horror of Idukki landslide tragedy

Idukki: Anju, the sister-in-law of Biju who lost his life in the tragic landslide near Adimali, recalled the horrifying moments of that night. She said Biju, who had already shifted to the family’s ancestral home because of the landslide warning, had gone back to his house with his wife, Sandhya, just to collect some food.

“They said they would be back very quickly,” Anju recalled. “The accident happened between 9:45 and 10:30. The day before yesterday evening, everyone was asked to evacuate from here. My brother-in-law (Biju) himself had told us that their house was not very safe. We told them not to stay there and to remain at the ancestral home. The two had gone to the house to get food. We came running when we heard a terrifying sound. There was only dust where the house used to be. My sister-in-law’s (Sandhya) cries were heard loudly. We didn’t hear my brother-in-law’s voice at all. We were in a state where we didn’t know what to do.”

Following the landslide threat, 22 families had been relocated to a relief camp. The landslide struck six houses directly. Although Biju was pulled out after a rescue operation lasting around seven hours, his life could not be saved. Sandhya had been rescued earlier and was taken to Rajagiri Hospital for specialised treatment.

The rescue effort, carried out by the Fire Force, NDRF, and local residents, was extremely challenging. The victims were trapped between large concrete beams and parts of collapsed walls, delaying the operation. Locals said the tragedy occurred because part of a nearby hill had been levelled and cut away for road widening. The houses were completely destroyed, filled with mud, and left in ruins.

Heavy equipment, including JCBs, had to be used to remove the debris. During the initial phase of the operation, there were responses from Sandhya, but none from Biju.