Melancholy blankets the relief camps in Meppadi, Wayanad, Kerala. The eerie quiet here strikes at the heart, occasionally disrupted by the sobs and anguished cries of those who lost everything in the catastrophic landslide last Tuesday. The survivors still struggle to comprehend the scale of the disaster that took away their homes, families, and relationships.
Relationships and Hard-Earned Savings Buried in Rubble
The loved ones they adored are either missing or were claimed by the landslide. Their savings are now entangled in the wreckage. Imagining the morning after that dark night is challenging for those who saw the sun rise amid profound darkness in their lives. The victims in these camps cannot come to terms with the fact that this tragedy is now their reality, beyond redemption.
Source: aajtak
Nothing Left but the Clothes on Their Backs
They are emotionally drained with eyes devoid of hope. Their vision only sees an uncertain future. One survivor, in tears, said, "I don't know what to do. We've lost everything we had. All we have left are the clothes on our backs."
Mothers Who Lost Children Break Down Suddenly
The mothers, whose children perished, feel an unparalleled loss. Their hands instinctively move as if to cradle their infants, but when they don't feel the soft weight, they burst into tears. This weeping and lamenting is the only sound merging with the gusty wind in the relief camp, moist from these mothers' tears.
Grief Over Young Sons and Daughters, and the Agony of Orphanhood
Elderly fathers mourn their young sons and daughters. Some families lost their grandparents, uncles, and aunts. Someone who had a large family yesterday finds themselves alone today, wondering why they survived. Every face in the camp tells a story of pain, a pain with no cure.
Source: aajtak
17 Relief Camps Near Meppadi
The state government has established roughly 17 relief camps near Meppadi, housing 2,597 people from 707 families affected by the devastating landslide in Mundakkai. A state government release mentioned a total of 91 camps opened across the district, sheltering 9,977 people from 2,981 families. To help survivors cope with their loss, the state government has formed a mental health disaster management team for psychological support. This disaster claimed over 210 lives, with many still missing.
Psychological Support Teams Deployed for Emotional Aid
A team of 121 members, including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, and counselors, provides mental health assistance in relief camps and various hospitals. They also offer counseling to healthcare and rescue workers, police, revenue officials, local self-government actors, and others dealing with the disaster's aftermath. A cabinet sub-committee of four ministers was constituted to oversee search and rescue operations.
Focus on Food Availability and Cleanliness in Camps
Ministers who met the media on Friday urged the public and media to avoid unnecessary visits to the camps and respect the privacy of displaced individuals. "There are essential medical teams and nodal officers at the camps. Special attention is being given to ensuring good food and cleanliness within relief centers," the ministers said.
Source: aajtak
210 Bodies Recovered So Far
Three days after the disaster, on Friday, rescue workers recovered 14 bodies, including three from Malappuram district. The total number of bodies recovered has reached 210, comprising 85 women, 96 men, and 29 children. The government has issued special guidelines for the burial of unidentified bodies. Many remain missing as rescue workers navigate adverse conditions, including waterlogged soil, to search for survivors and bodies within destroyed homes and buildings.
