M. Palani Kumar

PARI Desk

Editor

Vinothini Murugan

Translator

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I arrived on the fourth day; it was
nearly afternoon by the time I reached. 



On my journey from Chennai to Wayanad, I
passed areas teeming with volunteers. There were no buses, and I had to take
lifts from strangers. 



The place resembled a war zone with
ambulances moving in and out. People were busy searching for bodies with the
help of heavy machinery. Chooralmala, Attamala and Mundakkai towns were in
ruins -- no signs of habitable spaces. The residents&#39; lives were shattered, and
they couldn&#39;t even recognize the bodies of loved ones. 



The riverbanks were piled with debris
and dead bodies, so rescuers and family searching for bodies used sticks to
navigate the riverbanks and avoid sinking into the sand. My leg got stuck in
the sand. It was impossible to identify the bodies, only their fragments lay scattered
around. I have a deep connection to nature, but this experience terrified me. 



Due to the language barrier, I could only
be witness to the devastation. I held back from disturbing them. I had wanted
to come here earlier but ill health held me back.



I walked roughly three kilometres, following the
path of the flowing water. Houses lay buried in the ground, and some had
disappeared completely. Everywhere I saw volunteers searching for bodies. Even
the army were out conducting searches. I stayed for two days and during that
time no bodies were found, but the search continued relentlessly. Everyone was
working together, not giving up, sharing food and tea. The feeling of unity
surprised me.

When I spoke to some of the residents, they
mentioned a similar incident nearby Puthumala in August 8, 2019 where nearly 40
people died, and in 2021 where nearly 17 people died. This is the third time.
Around 430 people are estimated to have lost their lives, and 150 people were
missing. 



When I left on the last day, I was
informed that eight bodies were buried near Puthumala. Volunteers from all
religions (Hindu, Christian, Muslim and others) were present and all rituals
were observed. No one knew who the eight bodies belonged to but everyone prayed
together and buried them. 



There was no sound of weeping.  The rain continued to fall.



Why do such tragedies repeatedly occur here?
The entire area looked like a mixture of soil and rock which could be a reason
for the instability. While taking photos, I saw nothing but this mixture – not exactly
a mountain or just rock. 



The continuous rain was something
unprecedented for the area, and the unstable ground caved in with the rain
falling from one to five in the morning. Three landslides followed, at night. Every
building and school I saw reminded me of this. Speaking with volunteers I
realised that everyone was stuck there, even those conducting the search seemed
lost. And the people who live there…they may never fully recover.

Wayanad: water, soil, banks and bodies

وایناڈ: پانی، مٹی، ندی کا کنارہ اور لاشیں

వయనాడు: నీరు, నేల, నీటి ఒడ్డులు, మృతదేహాలు

வயநாட்டு நீர், மண், கரை மற்றும் சடலங்கள்

ਵਾਇਨਾਡ: ਪਾਣੀ, ਮਿੱਟੀ, ਨਦੀ ਦਾ ਕਿਨਾਰਾ ਤੇ ਕਿਨਾਰੇ ਦੱਬੀਆਂ ਲਾਸ਼ਾਂ

ଓ୍ୱାୟନାଡ଼ : ପାଣି, ମାଟି, ତଟ ଓ ଶବ

वायनाडः माती, मरण, नदी आणि पाणी

ವಯನಾಡ್:‌ ನೀರು, ಮಣ್ಣು, ದಡಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ದೇಹಗಳು

वायनाड: बारिश, मिट्टी, नदी का किनारा और लाशें

વાયનાડમાં: પાણી, માટી, નદીકાંઠા અને શબ

वायनाड: पानी, माटी, पार अऊ लाश

वायनाड: बाढ़, मलबा, नदी किनारा आउर मुरदा

ওয়েনাড: জল, মাটি, ভাঙন আর লাশ

ৱায়ানাডত বোকা-পানীয়ে একাকাৰ ঘৰ-মাটি আৰু প্ৰাণহীন কায়া

വയനാട്: ജലം, മണ്ണ്, തീരം, ശരീരങ്ങൾ

Chooralmala

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Wayanad: water, soil, banks and bodies

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