Kerala in mourning: Landslides devastate Chooralmala and Mundakkai, death toll exceeds 300

New Delhi, Aug 02: The devastating landslides in Chooralmala and Mundakkai have plunged Kerala into mourning, with the death toll now surpassing 300, however, officials are yet to confirm it but vernacular newspapers are giving figures of death as more than 300 reported Manorma online.

Officials fear this number could rise further as 240 people remain unaccounted for, according to Onmanorama local newspaper,

Heavy rainfall forced the premature suspension of rescue operations on Thursday, initially scheduled to halt at 4 pm. Search efforts commenced early Thursday morning in Chaliyar, with additional machinery brought in to aid the rescue. In Mundakkai, 15 earthmoving machines have been deployed to assist in the operations.

The Indian Army's recently constructed Bailey bridge between Chooralmala and Mundakkai will remain in place until a permanent bridge is built. This bridge allows essential equipment for rescue operations to be transported to the disaster-affected areas.

How 140 Army Men Built a 190-ft Bailey Bridge in 31 Hours at Wayanad's Chooralmala

After working for 31 consecutive hours, the Indian Army successfully constructed a 190-ft Bailey bridge to restore connectivity between the hamlets of Chooralmala and Mundakkai in Wayanad, which had been devastated by multiple landslides. The bridge was built in the same location where a 100-ft concrete bridge had been destroyed by massive boulders from the hills, reported local newspaper Onmanorama.com.

The Indian Army tested the bridge's structural integrity yesterday by first allowing an ambulance to cross and then driving a military truck over it. The 3-meter-wide bridge, capable of supporting 24 tonnes, will expedite search operations in Mundakkai, as stated by Major General V.T. Mathew, the general officer commanding (GOC) of the Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area. The bridge is sufficiently wide for earthmovers, excavators, trucks, ambulances, and jeeps to access Mundakkai.

Before the bridge was constructed, only off-road jeeps that were already in the tea estate could transport provisions, people, and tools to the search sites. Of the 400 houses atop Mundakkai, only 30 survived the landslide, with many people still missing.

How the Bridge Was Built

As reported by the regional newspaper, the panels for the Bailey bridge, each 10 ft long, were transported from Bengaluru to Chooralmala in 20 trucks on Tuesday, July 30, the same day the landslide struck Wayanad. According to Major General Mathew, who led the operation, a total of 19 steel panels were used to construct the 190-ft bridge, supported by a single pier. The final adjustments involved positioning the horizontal transoms on the truss panels using ball bearings.

On Tuesday evening, officers from the Madras Engineer Group, the Army's engineering task force, conducted a reconnaissance of the site. At 9 am on Wednesday, July 31, 140 officers from the group began construction. The limited space at the bridge site hampered progress, as there was only enough room for one truck when ideally 50 ft of elbow room was needed to work with the 10-ft panels. The work was also delayed by frequent VIP visits and adverse weather conditions. Despite these challenges, the officers worked non-stop through the night, pausing only for food, and completed the bridge by 6 pm on August 1, exactly 31 hours after starting.

Around 3 am on Thursday, the army men began constructing another 100-ft footbridge parallel to the Bailey bridge, completing it by 6 am. This footbridge has been crucial for search teams and provision suppliers to reach Mundakkai throughout the day.

Major General Mathew stated that the two bridges would be available for public use until a new concrete bridge is built or as long as the government deems necessary. He cited a previous Bailey bridge constructed by the Army in Sabarimala that is still in use.

Throughout the construction, a few army personnel took brief power naps to recharge before returning to their tasks, demonstrating their tireless dedication to completing the project.