About 16 members of a family gone, only four bodies recovered

Wayanad: With the search for missing persons in the landslide-ravaged areas of Wayanad now in its sixth day, the personal nightmares of the affected people are becoming increasingly clear.

For Mansoor, a 42-year-old resident of Chooralmala, the July 30 landslide has brought unimaginable loss, as he struggles to come to terms with the scale of the tragedy.

In a heart-wrenching tale of devastation, Mansoor lost 16 members of his family, including his mother, wife, two children, sister, and 11 members of his sister-in-law’s family.

The landslide swept away his entire world, leaving him alone and bereft.

“I’m left with nothing,” Mansoor said with his eyes, red from lack of sleep and tears.

Mansoor narrowly escaped death as he was away at a work-related event on the day of the incident.

“We’ve found four bodies: my wife, son, sister, and my mom. I still haven’t found my daughter. I wasn’t there when the incident happened because I was out for work. I have nothing left now. I’m currently staying with my brother,” Mansoor said.

Nasir, the brother of Mansoor, described the devastating impact of the recent tragedy on their family.

This morning, they identified the remains of their mother, bringing the total number of recovered bodies to four. Twelve family members remain unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, in a bid to ensure transparency regarding donations to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) for landslide relief in Wayanad district, the Kerala government on Sunday set up a complaint redressal cell to address queries about the funds’ utilisation.

The cell will be set up on a temporary basis in the Finance Department, the government order said.

The decision also comes in the wake of smear campaigns and criticisms from certain quarters against donations to the CMDRF. “The government is pleased to constitute a Complaint Redressal Cell in the Finance Department on a temporary basis, with the following officers for addressing the queries being received on CMDRF donation and related matters in connection with Wayanad Landslides 2024,” the order said.