Wayanad landslide: How ‘intuition’ saved Mundakkai family from disaster that took 158 lives

Wayanad landslides: Kerala's Wayanad district has been ravaged by relentless rains and severe winds, leading to devastating landslides early Tuesday morning that have claimed over 130 lives. On Wednesday, rescue teams worked around the clock to save trapped victims and retrieve bodies from the expansive disaster site despite harsh weather. 

Amid the tragic chaos, a family from Mundakkai claimed to have narrowly avoided tragedy due to the decisive and quick-thinking action of the woman of the house.

According to a report by the Times of India, Shakkira Alis urged her family to relocate from their Mundakkai home to Meppadi, a larger town about 16 kilometres away, when severe rainfall hit the Wayanad district. Her decision was driven by fears of a potential disaster as Kerala faced intense downpours on Monday night.

Despite her husband Mohammed Alis’s assurances, Shakkira Alis insisted on relocating to Meppadi, and eventually, the family complied with her decision, according to the Times of India.

The family moved to their Meppadi home, and by Tuesday morning, they realised the full extent of Shakkira Alis's foresight. Notably, the Alis' household is the only structure still standing in Mundakkai, which is now covered in debris and mud from the landslides, as Mohammad Alis reported to the Times of India.

The series of landslides in Mundakkai killed most of Alis' friends, neighbours, and relatives.

Mohammad Alis described the recent landslides in Mundakkai as an unprecedented event, noting that the area has generally been ‘safe’ from natural disasters. He speculated that the landslide likely originated from Velladipara, located approximately one kilometre uphill from Mundakkai.

“Our area has been safe from natural disasters. When we left for Meppadi, we urged others to move to safer locations, but they dismissed our concerns,” Alis told ToI.

Days of torrential monsoon rains have severely impacted Kerala, particularly the Wayanad district, hampering relief efforts due to blocked roads.

The sole bridge connecting the hardest-hit villages of Chooralmala and Mundakkai has been washed away, forcing rescue teams to use a makeshift zipline to transport bodies on stretchers across the treacherous floodwaters.

At least 158 fatalities and over 200 people have been injured, with the death toll likely to rise as rescue operations continue.

On Wednesday, MoS Home Nityanand Rai, while addressing the Rajya Sabha, said, “133 bodies recovered so far.”

More than 180 individuals are still missing, and over 300 homes have been completely destroyed in the affected Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas.