Grieving Families Identify Loved Ones, Perform Last Rites Amid Heart-Rending Tragedy In Kerala

Heart-rending wails of grief and despair were heard as family members identified and performed the last rites of their loved ones who died in the massive landslides in this district, where over 132 people were killed and more than 200 were injured in the tragic incident People of all ages were seen crying inconsolably as they identified the bodies of loved ones, lined one after another in coffin refrigerators at the Meppadi Family Health Centre and the Nilambur Government Hospital, or took one last fond look at them.

Similar scenes were also seen where remains were buried or cremated close to one another.

The Wayanad district administration released images of several bodies being cremated side-by-side in wood- and gas-based cremation furnaces.

At the Meppadi Juma Masjid here, a member of the mosque committee said arrangements have been made to bury the bodies.

"As and when the remains are identified and brought here, they will be buried. Arrangements for that have been made, Everyone is helping out," the committee member said.

Over 180 people are missing and more than 300 houses were completely destroyed in the landslides that hit the Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas of the district, according to the district administration.

Of the dead, 75 have been identified and post-mortems of 123 have been completed.

According to the district administration, the numbers of those who died are expected to increase even more and hundreds are feared to be buried under the debris.

Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains struck Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha hamlets in the early hours of Tuesday, killing several people, including women and children.