A Bailey bridge being constructed after landslides triggered by heavy rain at Chooralmala, in Wayanad district, Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
Credit: PTI photo
The death toll in the Wayanad landside tragedy keeps on escalating as rescue workers recover more bodies from under the debris. The death toll crossed 150 by 10 am on Wednesday. Over 200 people are reported missing.
Search operations resumed at Mundakkai, Chooralmala and Attamala regions from the early hours of the day. A landslide from the Vellarimala mountains had ravaged the region during the wee hours of Tuesday, July 30.
While many people suffered the devastating effects of the landslides, one family was luckily saved when a member had a premonition and decided to shift the family elsewhere following two days of heavy rainfall, The Times of India reported.
On Monday night, a woman named Shakkira, was very scared due to the incessant heavy rains. She insisted her husband, children and in-laws to move to her house at Meppadi from Mundakkai where they stayed.
Initially, they were hesitant but eventually listened to the woman and moved to her place. This step could be credited to have saved their lives.
Within a few hours, the landslides swept away their neighbours as well as some close relatives.
"It has been raining heavily in our area for the past two day As it poured on Monday night, my wife got scared. Though we told her there was nothing to worry about, she insisted on moving to Meppadi. We heeded finally and left for her house, a landslide hit the area. Only my house is standing there now, filled with debris and muddy water. The rest of the houses in the neighbourhood, S S Road, got washed away," Shakkira's husband, Mohammed Alis told TOI.
"While leaving for Meppadi, we asked some in the area to move to a safe location. But they hesitated and stayed back. My father's brother and his family are missing," he further told TOI.
(With PTI inputs)