When a village vanishes from the map
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Another national tragedy has struck Kerala, flabbergasting the entire country. The shocking landslips in Mundakai and Chooralmala of Wayanad district have an entire village wiped off the map, the loss of lives is not yet estimated. After floods of 2018 and 2019 that suffocated the entire state and the deadly landslides in Puthumala, Kavalapara (2019), Pettimudi (2020), Kootikal (2021) Kerala faces each monsoon with the fear of another disaster. Cries are heard from Wayanad even as the fear was lingering if the rains, falling with no rhyme or reason after the scorching summer, would cause another flood. With the bridge between Chooralamala and Mundakai washed away in the first landslide itself, rescue operations became impossible for several hours. The helicopters that came to check airlifting possibilities had to return due to inclement weather. The rescuers reached Mundakai only 13 hours after the mishap; meanwhile, ignoring the obstacles volunteers, police and firemen already brought to the nearby hospital many injured ones from Chooralmala. The hospitals were not adequately prepared and freezers were not available to store the bodies. The body parts of the victims, washing down the Chaliyar River, were recovered from the Nilambur pothukal area of Malappuram district. The fact that over a hundred people, including estate workers and tourists remain missing adds to the concern.
Although elaborate strategies are in place, devised by the state government and the National Disaster Response Force, rescuing people trapped in mud and under huge rocks is a huge task. The army, which participated in the rescue operations during the Kavalapara and Puthumala disasters, has arrived in Wayanad. It is comforting that the government made a serious intervention immediately after the disaster. Voluntary organization workers also rushed to Wayanad. A bus full of people came to the hospitals to donate blood to those undergoing treatment. The locals in Nilambur where the remains of the victims were found extended great support to the NRDF.
Mundakai and Chooralmala are environmentally very sensitive like Puthumala where landslip disaster occurred in 2019. Unscientific structures and plantations are natural causes of such disasters. The cause of yesterday's disaster has to be found out. Whatever it may be, the man-made disasters should not be repeated; the debates on it can be done later. The need of the hour is to hold together those who have lost everything in the calamity. The district administration and voluntary groups have started to collect food and relief materials to supply in the distressed areas. Everybody who considers themselves as humans must help out unasked. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K Stalin has offered to allocate five crore rupees as emergency aid and a medical team proving himself as a friend in need. It is comforting that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister expressed concerns about the situation Kerala is facing alongside announcing representatives to coordinate the rescue operations. There should not be any delay in declaring this unprecedented emergency as a national calamity and allowing help for rehabilitation and rebuilding. The Union Government is reminded of this primary responsibility because of its completely unhealthy approach when Kerala faced the flood disaster. The 'Madhyamam' also joins in the prayers for the people who lost everything in the biggest disaster Kerala has seen in recent times. And greetings to the government and semi-government forces, voluntary organizations and philanthropists who are carrying out rescue operations in the disaster-hit areas.
