Wayanad Landslides: Kerala Forest Officials Climb Hill To Save 6 Tribals, Including 4 Kids, from Cave

In a daring rescue mission, officials from the Kerala Forest Department successfully saved four toddlers and their parents, who belong to the Paniya tribal community, after they were stranded in a cave following the Wayanad landslides.

The rescue, led by Kalpetta range forest officer K. Hashis, took place over eight challenging hours, with the team navigating steep slopes and hazardous conditions, exacerbated by heavy rainfall.

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The stranded family, including children aged between one and four, was discovered in a cave perched atop a hill overlooking a deep gorge.

Hashis recounted that they initially found the mother and her four-year-old child wandering in search of food for the rest of the family who were still in the cave.

"The family is from the Paniya community of Wayanad and had been stranded in a cave atop a hill," Hashis told PTI, adding that due to the landslide and continuous rain, the family was unable to procure food, which forced them to seek help.

The rescue team, faced with tough terrain, had to tie ropes to trees and rocks to climb the steep slopes.

"The road to rescue the tribals was literally a steep slope, especially amidst heavy rainfall," Hashis described, noting that the children were exhausted, and the team fed them with the supplies they had carried.

After much persuasion, the father agreed to accompany the rescuers, and the children were securely tied to the officers' bodies for the return trek.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan praised the bravery of the forest department, stating, "Six precious lives were saved from a remote tribal settlement after a tireless 8-hour operation by our courageous forest officials in landslide-hit Wayanad. Their heroism reminds us that Kerala's resilience shines brightest in the darkest times. United in hope, we will rebuild and emerge stronger."

The Wayanad landslides, which occurred on Tuesday, have been devastating, with a death toll of 308 people, marking it as the worst natural disaster Kerala has faced since the 2018 floods.

In response to the increasing rainfall, the forest department has shifted most members of the tribal communities in Wayanad to safer locations.