Kerala’s Wayanad district has been ravaged by relentless rains and severe winds, leading to devastating landslides that have claimed over 130 lives. On Wednesday, rescue teams worked tirelessly to save trapped victims and retrieve bodies despite harsh weather conditions. Amidst the tragic chaos, a family from Mundakkai narrowly escaped disaster thanks to the foresight of the woman of the house.
According to a report by the Times of India, Shakkira Alis, fearing a potential disaster, urged her family to relocate from their Mundakkai home to the larger town of Meppadi, about 16 kilometers away, when intense rainfall hit the Wayanad district on Monday night. Despite her husband Mohammed Alis’s reassurances, Shakkira Alis insisted on relocating, and eventually, the family complied. They moved to their Meppadi home, and by Tuesday morning, the full extent of Shakkira Alis’s foresight became horrifyingly clear.
The Alis household stands as the sole surviving structure in Mundakkai, which is now buried under debris and mud from the landslides. Mohammad Alis, speaking to the Times of India, reported that the series of landslides in Mundakkai tragically killed most of his friends, neighbours, and relatives. He described the recent landslide as an unprecedented event, noting that Mundakkai had generally been considered safe from natural disasters. Alis speculated that the landslide originated from Velladipara, located approximately one kilometer uphill from Mundakkai.
“Our area has been safe from natural disasters. When we left for Meppadi, we urged others to move to safer locations, but they dismissed our concerns,” Alis told ToI. Days of torrential monsoon rains have severely impacted Kerala, particularly the Wayanad district, hampering relief efforts due to blocked roads. The sole bridge connecting the hardest-hit villages of Chooralmala and Mundakkai has been washed away, forcing rescue teams to use a makeshift zipline to transport bodies on stretchers across the treacherous floodwaters.
The series of catastrophic landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad district has resulted in at least 158 fatalities and over 200 injuries, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue operations continue. However, on Wednesday, MoS Home Nityanand Rai, addressing the Rajya Sabha, stated that “133 bodies recovered so far”. More than 180 individuals are still missing, and over 300 homes have been completely destroyed in the affected Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas.
