On August 8 evening two years ago, Muthappankunnu at Kavalappara near Nilambur witnessed a landslip of extensive nature that the State had never seen before. Forty-five houses were destroyed in less than 20 seconds and 59 people were buried alive. In a search that lasted three weeks, 48 bodies were recovered. And 11 people still lie under the soil that levelled an entire area where people used to live in peace.
The relatives of the people killed by the gargantuan landslip gathered at Kavalappara on Sunday, observing the second anniversary of the catastrophe. They offered floral tributes to their dear ones whose lives had been claimed by the saffron earth. Chathan, a tribal leader who lost 10 of his family members, including brothers and sisters, was the first to offer the floral tribute. A banner in front displayed the photographs of all 59 victims.
V. Jayan, the lonely survivor of the disaster, sobbed as he remembered that dreadful night in which he had been hurled across by the slimy soil that came down the hill like a tsunami. He saw his friends being buried alive.
M.S. Dileep, ward member and convener of the Kavalappara Colony Collective, presided over the function.
Different political and youth organisations too observed the anniversary of the tragedy by staging protests at different places in Pothukal panchayat, demanding rehabilitation of the displaced families.
The disaster had displaced more than 100 families. When 44 houses were destroyed, 64 others were rendered unliveable. Out of the 108 houses, 33 were rebuilt by philanthropist M.A. Yusuf Ali with the support of P.V. Abdul Wahab, MP, in a piece of land given by the government.
Nineteen other houses were also completed by different organisations. “All others are yet to be completed,” said Mr. Dileep, whose petitions in the High Court had made the government speed up the rehabilitation work. Revenue sources said that the rehabilitation would be completed in six or seven months.
Those in other parts of the Muthappankunnu are living in constant fear as the entire hill was declared unstable by geological experts. “A small portion of the hill got detached and came down in 2019. We are really worried about the adjoining areas. Dozens of families are living in constant fear, especially during the monsoon,” said Mr. Dileep.
