MEPPADI : Grief and uncertainty weigh heavily on the landslide survivors lodged at the Govt Higher Secondary School, Meppadi, and St. Joseph’s Girls HSS. Both schools have been turned into temporary relief camps for the survivors of the devastating disaster.
Seven days have passed since the landslide took away their homes, prized possessions and loved ones. For most survivors, the harsh reality of their loss remains unbearable. As they await news of their kith and kin, the future appears bleak with almost no hope.
Ayshakutty (70), of Nellimunda located about 10 kilometres from Chooralmala, arrived at the relief camp with a heavy heart. She was asking for information about her family. They hadn’t communicated after the landslide. Unable to walk, she was brought to the camp in an autorickshaw, where her relatives gathered to share the details.
Tears rolling down her cheeks, she said, “We were away, and I don’t know who all made it.” Thirty people from nine families in her area were rescued. But, five remain missing and the body of one child was found.
“She is my father’s sister. We don’t have a phone or network to contact anyone. So, she came as she does not know how many of us are alive,” said Naseer, one of the survivors of the family.
Noufal, who had returned from Dubai four days ago, faces an even deeper tragedy. While his wife, Hanshitha, and their five-year-old son Aadi survived, all 22 members of his extended family are missing.
“I cancelled my visa and came back. We have nothing here. My family and friends are all gone. All 22 of them stayed at our ancestral house when it was swept away,” Noufal said, his voice numb with grief.
At St. Joseph’s Girls HSS, Jayamma, one of the survivors, struggles with sleepless nights and the daunting future ahead.
Jayamma, her husband, Muthan, and their two sons and daughter managed to survive the night of the landslide. They were jolted awake around 1 am by the thunderous roar of falling boulders and trees. Desperate for safety, they fled to a nearby estate manager’s house perched atop a tea plantation where they waited until dawn. By morning, the town they once knew had been reduced to ruins.
Telemanass and the psychosocial team are providing counselling to the survivors. “They are all uncertain about the future. Venting out helps to an extent. Psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, and social workers are all here to help them,” said a social worker.