Wayanad landslide: Many sit in silence at relief camps, faces blank, eyes vacant

Wayanad: The relief camps in Meppadi, in Kerala’s Wayanad, are filled with the haunting cries of those who lost everything in last Tuesday's devastating landslide.

Survivors are facing an immense loss, having seen their homes, built over a lifetime, reduced to rubble. Many have lost family members, leaving them with only memories of their past lives.

In the State-run relief camps, survivors are confronted with a shattered existence and an uncertain future. Many sit in silence, their faces blank and eyes vacant, as they come to terms with their new reality. "I don't know what to do. We lost everything we had. All we have is what we are wearing right now," a survivor says, sobbing inconsolably.

The camps are filled with the heartbreaking cries of mothers mourning their children, fathers grieving for their sons and daughters, and families suffering the loss of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The scale of the tragedy is overwhelming, and survivors are struggling to figure out how to rebuild their lives from scratch.

The State government has established 17 relief camps near Meppadi, accommodating 2,597 people from 707 families affected by the landslide in Mundakkai. In total, 91 camps have been set up across the district, housing 9,977 people from 2,981 families, according to a State government release.

To help those affected, a Mental Health Disaster Management team has been created to offer psychological support. This team, consisting of over 120 professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, and counsellors, is working around the clock in the camps and hospitals to provide care. They are also supporting health and rescue workers, as well as police and local officials dealing with the aftermath of the disaster.

So far, over 340 people have lost their lives, with more than 200 people still missing. Rescue teams continue to work in challenging conditions, including waterlogged soil, as they search through the wreckage for survivors and victims. The State government has formed a cabinet sub-committee to oversee the ongoing search-and-rescue operations.

Ministers have requested the public and media to avoid unnecessary visits to the camps and to respect the privacy of those affected.

"The camps have nodal officers and other officials, including necessary medical teams. Special care is being taken to ensure (the availability of) good food and neatness inside the relief centres," they said.

Agencies