Coordination, cooperation on display at landslide hit areas of Wayanad

Bravehearts from the various affected localities, and the police and fire and rescue services (FRS) departments immediately responded, and continued work for hours.

People being rescued via the makeshift bridge built by the Army, NDRF and SOG in Mundakkai area Photo | E Gokul

CHOORALMALA: Courage and action were on full display at the landslide-hit areas of Wayanad, as different government agencies coordinated the rescue efforts which also received wholehearted cooperation of the local people.

Bravehearts from the various affected localities, and the police and fire and rescue services (FRS) departments immediately responded, and continued work for hours. Though they could not make much headway, they did their bit. The arrival of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel then added pace to relief works.

The first challenge the rescue workers faced was saving those stuck in the mud that covered the entire area. Heart-wrenching visuals of a stranded person waving for help was ciculated on media platforms. The man was seen trying to cling on to the rock in the middle of the river. He was saved by the NDRF and FRS, and shifted to the hospital. Several earthmovers were pressed into service to remove the mud, boulders and trees. However, even by Tuesday night, all the mud could not be removed. The NDRF team also had trouble reaching the people stranded at Mundakkai, what with the bridge that connected Mundakkai with Chooralamala getting washed away.

Building a temporary bridge or airlifting the stranded people using helicopters were considered. The first option was dependent on the Army’s arrival, while the second was ruled out as landing a helicopter would have been tricky in the inclement weather. The NDRF team went for Plan C, using a ropeway to cross the river and reach Mundakkai.

By then, frantic calls were made by people stranded at various spots in Mundakkai. Around 150 had taken shelter at a resort, while 100 waited for rescue workers atop a hill. Suddenly, water in the Iruvazhinji river rose, triggering speculations of another landslide. When the skies cleared by evening, an Air Force helicopter airlifted severely injured persons from Mundakkai. They were hospitalised. The rest were rescued using the makeshift bridge the Army built across the river.