BENGALURU: At least four people from Karnataka are feared dead in the landslides that occurred in Wayanad district of Kerala. Some others are also reported missing even as rescue workers have taken up relief and search operations in the affected areas in the neighbouring state.
Among the dead include include a two from Chamarajanagar district and a grandmother-grandson duo from Mandya district. They were identified as Puttasiddashetty (62) and Rani Madar (50) from Chamarajanagar, and Leelavathi (55) and her grandson Nihal (2.5) from Kattaraghatta in KR Pet taluk of Mandya district. Their bodies were found stuck in some vegetation.
Four tourists from North India, who had come to Bengaluru proceeded to Wayanad in a cab were among those caught in the landslides. While while two of the tourists and the cab driver from Bengaluru are safe, two others are missing.
Couple Rajan and Rajini from Chamarajanagar are also missing. Rajendra and Ratnamma, who hail from Irasawadi village in Chamarajanagar district, are also reported missing after the landslides in Wayanad. Their house Chooralmala, which they had built only six months ago, was washed away, family members said.
“We had visited them at Chooralmala and returned on Monday evening. If we had stayed back, maybe even we would have lost our lives”, Ratnamma’s sister-in-law Jyothi told Public TV.
At Kattaraghatta, Leelavathi’s daughter Manjula, said her parents had been living in Mundakkai, Kerala, for the last 51 years. “Somehow, bring my mother and my nephew Nihal’s bodies back to Karnataka. I had purchased books and a bicycle for the boy. My brother Anil, who was in Europe, was to return on August 10. He has built a house in Mundakkai and the house-warming ceremony was to be held next month”, she said.
“Mud has entered Anil’s eyes, nose and lungs and he has a broken spine while his wife Jhansi suffered injuries in the hand. My father Devaraj sustained injuries in the leg. The authorities should arrange to shift them to Karnataka and we will look after them”, Manjula said.
Meanwhile. A team of 15 volunteers of an NGO based in Madikeri, along with an ambulance, have rushed to Kerala to join the rescue efforts.