Wayanad (Kerala): Emotions slowly pave the way for understanding the hard realities as one month has passed after the devastating landslides in the Mundakkai, Chooralmala and Pucnhirimattam regions of Wayanad district in Kerala on the intervening night of July 29.
According to official figures, 231 lives were lost, and 78 still missing in the tragedy the magnitude of which the state has never seen in its history. In the calamity that the survivors do not want to remember, 62 families were completely wiped out and 183 homes disappeared as gigantic rocks lashed down with water.
The disaster unfolded after a night of heavy rains and subsequent landslides, flattened a few villages completely. Wayanad also bore witness to one of the most massive rescue operations the state has ever seen with volunteers under the banner of different organisations standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the state machinery thereby ensuring all humanly possible efforts to rescue those buried under the debris.
The tragedy transformed the picturesque region into a scene of overwhelming loss. Dead bodies and body parts were even washed away to Nilambur in Malappuram kilometres away from Wayanad, highlighting the disaster's extensive reach. The community witnessed an unprecedented mass cremation, and the outpouring of support has been immense.
Every effort was made to identify the dead bodies and dismembered body parts. Through diligent DNA testing, 42 bodies previously cremated without identification have now been matched.
Rebuilding Wayanad
The state government has committed itself to rebuilding efforts. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after an all-party meeting held on Thursday to discuss the reconstruction project announced that each landslide victim will be provided a 1000 square-feet single-storey house. Priority will be given to those who lost their homes, with relocation needs addressed in the next phase. The new homes will be designed for future expansion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the affected areas and assured the state government of all support in the rebuilding efforts.
As part of the rebuilding efforts, a school reopening festival will take place in the affected area on the second of September. Tourism centres, one of the major sources of revenue of Wayanad were shut down after the disaster. They are also gradually set to reopen. This phased approach aims to help the region recover and rejuvenate, providing a glimmer of hope as Wayanad begins to rebuild and heal.
