CHOORALMALA: “I lost 11 members of my family. Body of only one was found. The earth swallowed the rest,” said 68-year-old Asiya, her eyes fixed on the rain-soaked graves at Puthumala. A year has passed since the landslide that tore through the hills of Chooralmala and Mundakkai, but for people like her, time has not moved on.
On Tuesday morning, as clouds hung low over the hills, Asiya returned to Puthumala — the mass burial site of the victims. The IUML had organised an all-religion prayer meet to mark the first anniversary of the tragedy. “Sometimes I wake up hearing their voices,” she whispered. “I don’t know if it’s a dream or a memory. I lost everybody,” said Asiya.
She was not alone in her grief. Survivors and former residents arrived from across Wayanad, most now living in rented homes in Meppadi and Kalpetta, with flowers and heavy hearts.
“We have nothing left in Chooralmala. We buried our dreams and happiness along with our loved ones here,” said Sainaba, standing by the edge of the graveyard.
Many wandered through what remained of their old homes. Overgrown paths now lead to collapsed roofs and moss-covered walls. A few residents had returned after months, just to see what the place that raised them had become.
On the intervening night of July 29 and 30, 2024, a massive landslide struck Chooralmala and Mundakkai in Wayanad, triggered by heavy monsoon rain. It claimed nearly 300 lives, injured hundreds, and displaced over 10,000 people. Entire settlements were wiped out, with many people buried under debris as they slept.
Rescue teams, including the Army and NDRF, worked round the clock to save survivors, and a Bailey bridge was built in 31 hours to restore access. One year later, many still struggle with trauma, loss, and slow-paced rehabilitation. For Shyja Baby, the visit brought back unbearable memories.
As the former ward member of Mundakkai, she had lived among the victims. On the morning of the landslide, she found herself helping officials identify the bodies. “These weren’t just my neighbours. They were my people. I knew every face, every family,” she said. “Some I recognised by the clothes they wore. Others... just by a slipper or a bit of jewellery. That pain stays with you.”
The Bailey bridge still stretches across the Punnappuzha river. Faded, it says nothing, but holds the weight of everything that happened. On Tuesday, officials from ULCCS visited the site to take measurements for a new bridge, which the PWD hopes to begin building by August.
Outside the no-go zone, a few shops remain open. One of them belongs to Rekha, a Chooralmala native who refused to leave. “Only plantation workers and a few policemen stop by,” she said. “But we have nowhere else to go. Even if it hurts, this is home.”
As usual a special KSRTC bus rolled through the Chooralmala road, picking up children. They used to study at Mundakkai LP School and Vellarmala GVHSS—schools that were swallowed by the landslide. Now, the children sit in borrowed classrooms—Mundakkai LP students inside the Meppadi Panchayat Hall, and Vellarmala students at the Meppadi HSS.
Back at Puthumala, workers are busy arranging facilities for the memorial on Wednesday. Up in Punchirimattom, where the landslide first broke loose a few cardamom plantations still remain. “This is where it all began,” said Asma, a plantation worker, glancing toward the edge. “On rainy days, we don’t like to come here. When the clouds gather, it feels like the earth might speak again. When we look down from here, we still see the deaths. Sometimes… we still hear the cries.”
Over Rs 91.73 cr spent on Wayanad rehab: CM
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the state government has so far spent Rs 91,73 crore from the CMDRF for the rehabilitation of those affected by the Wayanad landslide. As of June 25, 2025, the CMDRF has received a total of Rs 770.76 crore specifically for landslide rehabilitation. The expenditure covers various components of the rehabilitation process, he noted. This includes Rs 7.65 crore as direct cash assistance to affected families, Rs 50 lakh for rent aid, and Rs 43.56 crore for the acquisition of land at Elston Estate, where rehabilitation is under way.