Survivor recalls harrowing experience of Wayanad landslides

Wayanad (Kerala), Aug 8 (PTI) People who survived the landslides in the villages in Wayanad are still recovering from the shocking experience they had on the night of July 30.

Hailing from Chooralmala, one of the worst-hit villages, Ubaid shared his harrowing experience.

He woke up in the middle of the night to attend to his two children suffering from fever when water suddenly entered the house on July 30.

Ubaid was swept away by strong currents and later found himself lying injured in a farm about one and a half kilometers away from his house. His wife was also found near the same farm.

Ubaid lost his mother-in-law and a child in the incident. However, his 11-year-old daughter managed to save herself by holding onto the ceiling fan as the water gushed into the house.

“As the water level receded at night, she climbed down and was later rescued by neighbours,” he told reporters.

According to officials, the number of deaths due to the devastating landslides in the Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas of Wayanad on July 30 has increased to 226.

As many as 138 people are missing following the massive landslides, according to the initial figures released by the local administration on Wednesday.