To smile amidst tragedy is not an easy thing to do. In Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Kerala's Wayanad, survivors are in great shock. Most have lost somebody they loved or known their whole lives and have no place to go back to.
IN PICS | 10 Chooralmala, Mundakkai images that capture the magnitude of Kerala disaster
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(Manorama photo)
However, images of hope, survival and humanity are coming out from the relief camps of Wayanad. Amidst heartbreaking scenes of ground zero, instances of heroism and optimism are also heard. The completion of the Bailey Bridge by the Indian Army was one such instance. The 190-foot bridge was constructed by the Madras Engineer Group, also known as the Madras Sappers in record time. Major Sita Shelke and Co. worked for 31 hours without a break to construct the Bailey bridge in Chooralmala so that the rescue officials could reach the Mundakai hamlet, which was cut off from the mainland after the landslides washed away the connecting bridge.
Job well done by Indian Army sappers! (Manorama photo)
And there were the smiling faces of tiny tots who made it out alive from certain tragedy. Days (mere hours for some) after reaching the safety of the camps, the innocent faces have become a source of relief for others around them.
Children at Meppadi St Jospeh's school which is working as a relief camp | Manorama
The volunteers and government officials who are working day and night to coordinate and deliver the requirements of these camps are also a reassuring scene.
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A Student Police Cadet volunteer being fed by a friend amidst a busy day at a relief camp | Jithin Joel Haarim
Tireless hands and still at work in the hope of finding beats of life amidst the debris, puddles and mud. All life is precious and they are leaving no stone unturned, literally, in the hope of saving as many as possible.
A cat that survived the Wayanad landslide being rescued | Manorama
Wayanad landslide: Latest news
Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Friday said at least 49 children have either been missing or dead in the devastating landslides that hit Wayanad district three days ago.
Speaking to the media here, Sivankutty said the Government Higher Secondary School at Vellarimala has been completely destroyed by the natural disaster, while four other schools in the vicinity have also suffered major or minor damage.
"As per the reports, 49 children are either dead or missing. The Vellarimala GHSS has been completely destroyed. The GLPS Mundakkai has been partially damaged. Three other schools have also suffered minor damage," he said.
The minister added that many of the surviving children have lost their textbooks and certificates, among others, and the government will consider all these matters and help them after a discussion with the chief minister.
"The Vellarimala GHSS has to be rebuilt. The other four schools, including that at Mundakkai, require some maintenance work," he added.
