India Tomorrow
KOZHIKODE: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Kerala (JIH-K), the Ideal Relief Wing (IRW), and Peoples Foundation were among the first to respond to the catastrophic landslide on July 30, 2024, that devastated the elevated areas of Chooralmala, Muthanga, and Mundakkai in Wayanad district of Kerala.
Volunteers of the Welfare Party of India (WPI) also joined these organisations to provide relief aid to the victims of the natural disaster. They took part in search and rescue operations led by Indian Army and Kerala state disaster management authority.
According to official reports, the disaster impacted approximately 47.37 km² of the Meppadi Gram Panchayat, home to an estimated 37,000 to 40,000 people.
The landslide claimed over 400 lives, with more than 150 individuals still missing. Official records confirm 225 deaths, with 195 body parts retrieved and 138 people unaccounted for. However, some estimates suggest that the actual death toll could range between 550 and 600, as many bodies remain buried beneath the debris.
Mundakkai, the hardest-hit area, was nearly obliterated, displacing local Kerala laborers and migrants alike. The landslide destroyed six of the 14 labour quarters of the H&ML Harrisons Malayalam Limited tea plantation, the largest in Kerala, and submerged the Government Lower Primary School. In Chooralmala, 75 shops were completely destroyed, and 47 students lost their lives at the Government Vocational Higher School. Attomala, although less impacted in terms of human casualties, saw timely evacuations due to effective warnings.
IRW, founded by K. A. Siddique Hassan, deployed 70-100 volunteers who played a key role in rescue operations, including handling sensitive mortuary and post-mortem processes. WPI and Peoples Foundation coordinated relief efforts, distributing essential supplies and organizing volunteer activities.
Within the first 12 hours, JIH provided over 500 emergency kits, food, and clean water to 1,300 families. They also supplied 50 freezers to the state government to store bodies during ongoing rescue efforts. As survivors were moved to government camps, more than 500 camp kits, including supplies for newborns and mothers, were distributed. In the following weeks, as rehabilitation efforts began, the Peoples Foundation facilitated the relocation of survivors to rental homes, provided over 1,300 ration kits, and assisted in securing new accommodations.
The psychological impact of the landslide has been profound, leaving survivors grappling with trauma. Kerala JIH mobilized the Ethical Medical Forum and the Student Medical Group to offer psychological support and counseling to those affected. The once bustling hamlet of Mundakkai, known for its cardamom farms, is now unrecognizable, with its landscape drastically altered.
Dr. Nishad VM, project director of the Peoples Foundation, emphasized the urgent need for mitigation measures, including relocating residents from landslide-prone areas, restricting certain land uses, and implementing early warning systems based on ground condition monitoring.
Rahmathunnissa A., National Secretary of JIH, who spent an entire day in Wayanad during the Independence Day celebrations, visited relief camps and temporary housing provided by local residents. Describing the devastation as “beyond comprehension,” Rahmathunnissa emphasized the need for a collaborative effort involving government agencies, NGOs, and the community to help survivors regain their dignity and rebuild their lives.
She praised the tireless efforts of government officials and volunteers from various organizations in the rescue and relief operations.
The Wayanad landslide underscores the fragile balance between human habitation and nature in an ecologically sensitive region. While the immediate relief response was commendable, long-term efforts must focus on rehabilitation and enforcing strict measures to prevent future disasters. The resilience and dedication of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Kerala, IRW, and the Peoples Foundation provide hope, but the road to recovery for the affected communities remains long.
