CCTV Footage Reveals Devastation of Wayanad Landslides; 119 Still Missing
Wayanad, 19th August 2024: As Wayanad, Kerala, continues to grapple with the aftermath of the catastrophic landslides, newly surfaced CCTV footage has vividly illustrated the sheer scale of the disaster. The district administration confirmed on Sunday that 119 people are still missing, though the figure is not final. The footage, aired by Malayalam television channels, shows floodwaters rushing into closed shops, demolishing shutters and concrete walls in an instant. The visuals, captured in Chooralmala, one of the worst-hit hamlets, have reignited the horrors of the July 30 calamity, which claimed over 200 lives and left many injured.
The CCTV footage from shops in Chooralmala, retrieved after the disaster, shows the force of the floodwaters, which broke down walls and swept away large boulders. In one clip, animals are seen being washed away and ending up inside a shop. Other footage captured the torrential rainfall that triggered the landslides. These images have brought back painful memories for the residents of Wayanad, who are struggling to rebuild their lives.
Meanwhile, the state government has been actively involved in relief and rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas. The General Education Department has announced that 614 students from state-run schools in Vellarmala and Mundakkai, which were destroyed in the landslide, will be accommodated in temporary facilities at Meppadi GHSS and the panchayat hall in Meppadi village. Additional classrooms, IT labs, and staff rooms will be constructed to support these students, according to General Education Minister V. Sivankutty. Steps have also been taken to provide uniforms and books.
In response to the disaster, the Kerala government has provided financial aid totaling Rs 72 lakh to 12 people through the State Disaster Response Fund and Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund. Urgent financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each has been given to 617 people who lost their livelihoods. The government has also allocated Rs 10,000 each to 124 people for cremation and burial expenses and is processing aid for those injured in the landslides.
The landslides, which struck Mundakkai and Chooralmala on July 30, nearly wiped out both areas, leaving a trail of destruction that will take years to recover from.
