Wayanad landslides: Forest officials rescue 6 tribals, including 4 children, in heroic 8-hour operation

The Kerala Forest Department rescued six tribals, including four children, stranded in a cave atop a hill in Wayanad, following the recent landslides that have claimed over 300 lives.

The four-member rescue team, led by Kalpetta Range Forest Officer K Hashis, undertook a gruelling eight-hour operation through treacherous terrain, navigating steep slopes and heavy rainfall.

The family, from the Paniya tribal community, had been trapped due to the landslides that devastated roads, bridges, and infrastructure, leaving over 300 people dead.

Hashis reported that the mother and a four-year-old child were found foraging for food, while the rest of the family remained in the cave. The team fed the exhausted children and persuaded the father to leave the cave. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan praised the forest officials for their bravery, highlighting the resilience of Kerala in these dark times.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan commended the forest officials for their relentless eight-hour rescue operation that saved six lives from a remote tribal settlement.