Wayanad landslides: 'We saw people being swept away by the mud, but we were helpless,' says police officer

Wayanad: It's been a week since the landslides in Wayanad claimed several lives and left many more missing, but the memories of that fateful day still haunt a civil police officer at the Meppadi police station, who recounts his desperate bid to save lives amidst the devastating calamity that struck the Chooralmala region.

Civil Police Officer at Meppadi police station Jiblu Rahman sprang into action after the first landslide hit, rescuing two tourists from Odisha from the rubble.

The survivors, one with broken limbs and the other with torn clothes and bruises, were crying out for help when Rahman reached the spot.

"They told me there were two more people upstream," Rahman told PTI, still trying to overcome the shock of that day.

"I gave them my T-shirt and coat, and handed them over to the local youths who had also reached the spot. Then, I went upstream to search for the other two." As Rahman moved towards the two persons upstream, he heard a huge sound and realised that another landslide had occurred.

With no other option, he ran uphill to safety.

Then, he saw water gushing down, carrying mud, boulders and trees.

He watched in horror as people were swept away with the rubble, feeling helpless at being unable to do anything.

Before the heroic rescue carried out by Rahman, a forest night patrol team was already at the spot, responding to calls from locals about elephants straying into the residential area.

"Our night patrol team went to the spot after receiving calls from locals, saying that elephants had entered the residential area. We went there to chase the elephants back into the forest," K Pradeep, Deputy Forest Range Officer, Meppadi, told PTI.

On arriving at the spot, they noticed the rising water level in the river and warned people to move to safer locations.

"When we were returning, we heard a sound, and the first landslide occurred. People started running to safety and we provided our search lights and vehicle headlights to help them find their way to safety," Pradeep said.

The forest team rescued more than 45 people to safety. As the rescue efforts were ongoing, they heard a second, louder noise and realised that a bigger landslide had occurred.

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.