In Wayanad, after a big landslide, the Indian Army built a 190-foot-long bridge in just 31 hours. This bridge connects the hard-hit areas of Mundakai and Churil Mala. Major Sita Shelke led a team of 140 soldiers to build this important bridge. The bridge can hold up to 24 tons and was tested by driving an ambulance and a military truck over it.
The landslide happened on July 13, causing a lot of damage. The new bridge was built where a previous 100-foot-long bridge was destroyed by the landslide. Materials for the bridge were flown from Delhi and Bengaluru to Kannur and then taken to Wayanad by trucks.
The Madras Engineering Group, also known as Madras Sappers, also built a smaller 10-foot bridge overnight. This smaller bridge helped rescue efforts and allowed for quick evacuation of people stuck in the area.
Wayanad: 300 Dead, as Many Missing, Our Report on the Terrifying Landslide
The number of people who died in the disaster has reached over 300, but this number alone doesn’t show the full extent of the tragedy. The government has released a list of the dead, and it includes separate columns for body parts that have been found. These parts include hands, feet, heads, and torsos. So far, 134 parts have been recovered. Over 600 people are injured, and more than 300 are missing. About 2,500 people are staying in relief camps.
We used caution with the videos shown, but they might still be upsetting to see. This disaster is both a national and international tragedy. Many such disasters have happened before in places like Himachal and Uttarakhand, and they continue to happen. We often see viral videos of such destruction.
This constant exposure has made us numb to these tragedies. We should think about how many rivers and mountains we have destroyed for development dreams. These homes buried in mud belonged to ordinary people, and their life’s hard work is now lost in dirt.
This isn’t just the result of one person’s actions but of a collective disregard for nature by millions of people. Videos of landslides in India have been going viral for years, yet we don’t pause to consider what needs to be done to stop these tragedies. How long will we keep falling victim to such disasters? When will we take action? The condition of these cars shows the severity of the situation, with large rocks falling at high speed into villages.
The dreams of modern life seem small in front of this natural disaster. The debris from the landslide stretches for eight kilometers and flows into a river. According to Abdul Lapat Naha’s report on August 3, about 86,000 square meters or around 21 acres of land got buried under the debris. The video you are watching is from the fourth day of the tragedy, recorded by T.A. Amiruddin.
When the landslide happens, big rocks and soil tumble down with great speed. Two villages in Harimala disappeared, and hundreds of homes were buried and destroyed. Many houses are completely gone, leaving only rubble behind. The few houses that remain are heavily damaged, with missing roofs or walls.
In his report, Abdul Lapat Naha wrote that in Bellary Mala village, Mundkai and Chural Mala villages vanished within minutes, taking 200 homes with them. The remaining houses are barely standing. Amiruddin also wrote that several times rocks, trees, and mud slid down from the hill onto Chural Mala, Atta Mala, and Mundarki villages.
These villages had a population of more than 4,000 people. A once calm river turned into a destructive force overnight, sweeping away everything in its path for 25 kilometers. The water flowed so fast that it carried away everything it touched.
Devastating Landslide in Wayanad Highlights the Cost of Ignoring Natural Risks: Lives Lost, Homes Destroyed, and Nature Disrupted
Natural disasters can destroy dreams and lives in an instant. When you see the remains of any house here, you will remember all those reports and memories that haunt you every year. Despite warnings, people keep building houses along river paths.
Rescue workers say it’s hard to tell how many people are buried under the debris. Many houses are crushed, and moving these huge boulders is a tough job. Maybe they can be moved someday.
Wayanad in Kerala is a beautiful area. The village hit by the landslide was known for its natural beauty. Now, only pieces of rock remain where dogs wander, searching for their old streets. Maybe a child is looking for a lost toy, or maybe that child didn’t survive.
Do we always have to lose everything after disasters? Lifelong savings and earnings turn to dust. Families are wiped out, and survivors live with these memories. Why haven’t we learned any lessons? Why haven’t we taken steps to show we care?
Wayanad is far away, but even in Delhi, a mother holding her baby could fall into a drain, or children could die in a library collapse. We criticize development when it’s not done right. Everywhere you look, there are settlements built on shaky grounds.
We are not just destroying nature; we are creating disaster-prone areas in the name of development. Someone might die from an electric shock or burn from a fallen high-tension wire.
The river Chaliyar was the beauty of southern Wayanad villages. After the disaster, rocks fell into its path from the mountains. The river still flows but looks lifeless now. During rainstorms, it becomes fierce again.
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