Wayanad landslides: CCTV visuals throw light on horrors of tragedy

Wayanad (Kerala): As Kerala is yet to recover from the shock of the devastating landslides, a host of CCTV visuals on Sunday brought the horrendous memories and intensity of the massive calamity back to the minds of people of Wayanad.

The visuals, in which flood water could be seen gushing into closed shops destroying the shutters and concrete walls in the blink of an eye, were something beyond anyone's imagination.

Malayalam television channels aired the visuals captured on the CCTVs in some shops in Chooralmala, one of the hamlets completely destroyed in the disaster.

In one of the visuals, it can be seen that flood water gushing into the shop, breaking down the walls along with huge boulders.

In another visual, it can be seen some animals being washed away and landing in the shop.

The visuals of extremely heavy rainfall received in the area were also captured by one of the CCTV cameras retrieved recently from the landslide-hit areas.

Meanwhile, the relief and rehabilitation activities have been continuing in the landslide-hit hamlets of Wayanad by the state government to bring the survivors back to normal life.

The district administration here on Sunday said that as many as 119 people were missing following the tragedy, but the list was not final.

The General Education Department has informed that 614 students of the state-run schools in Vellarmala and Mundakkai which had been destroyed in the landslide would be accommodated in Meppadi GHSS and at a special facility set up at the panchayat hall in Meppadi village.

The additional facilities are being arranged for 552 students of the Vellarmala school and 62 students of the Mundakkai school, General Education Minister V Sivankutty said on Saturday. For this, additional classrooms, IT labs, and staff rooms would be newly constructed there.

Steps have also been taken to provide uniforms and books for the children, he added.

As per the initial figures, as many as 36 children were dead and 17 went missing during the landslide in the area, the minister said.

The district administration on Saturday said that the Kerala government was expeditiously providing financial aid to those affected by the landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas with around Rs 72 lakh disbursed to 12 people from the SDRF and CMDRF. Apart from that, Rs 10,000 each had been given as urgent financial assistance to as many as 617 people who lost their means of livelihood in the July 30 disaster that claimed over 200 lives, the administration said.

Additionally, the government also sanctioned disbursement of Rs 10,000 each to 124 people for cremation and burial of remains, it said.

Furthermore, steps are also being taken to provide financial assistance to those among the 34 people hospitalised for treatment of injuries suffered in the disaster, who have submitted their documents for the same, the district administration added.

Major landslides hit the Mundakkai and Chooralamala regions of Wayanad on July 30, almost decimating both the areas and killing over 200 people and injuring many.