Woman who first alerted about landslides dies before being rescued
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New Delhi: Neethu Jojo, who was one of the first to alert the emergency services about the landslide near Meppadi in Wayanad, died before the rescue personnel could reach her house, India Today reported.
Neethu Jojo, staff member of a private hospital in Wayanad, in a widely circulated call recording said that several people had been trapped in her house after the first landslide in Chooralmala on July 30.
Around six families in her neighbourhood had sought refuge in her house, she was heard saying.
Flood waters were gushing inside her house bringing in debris including cars having been swept away in the landslide, she told a staff member of Dr Moopen's Medical College that night.
Neethu can be heard saying: "There is a landslide at Chooralmala. I live behind the school here. Can you please send someone to help us?"
Collecting details, the staff member assured her that rescue teams were on their way.
Dr Shanavas Palliyal, the DGM of Dr. Moopen's Medical College, was one of the first people whom Neethu had called, according to PTI.
Neethu told the doctor that she had made distress calls to several people before calling her.
"She sounded very distressed and was calling for help. I immediately informed the police and our ambulance from the hospital left for Chooralmala," news agency PTI quoted her as saying.
The ambulances and other rescue personnel, who were in touch with Neethu over the phone, couldn't reach her house as the Chooralmala Bridge had washed away.
It is reported that Neethu died as her husband, their child and her mother-in-law survived the landslide.
Three other staff members of the hospital also lost their lives in the landslides which claimed over 360 lives.