Neethu Jojo, a staff member at a private hospital in Wayanad, was among the earliest to report the devastating landslide that struck the district on July 30. Tragically, Jojo perished before rescuers could reach her due to severe disruptions caused by the disaster.
A distress call from Jojo has gone viral, vividly capturing the urgency of the situation. In the recording, Jojo can be heard pleading for help as water inundated her home, surrounded by debris and swept-away vehicles. At around 1:30 a.m. on July 30, she contacted emergency services, reporting the landslide in Chooralmala and the peril faced by herself and several neighboring families taking refuge in her home.
Jojo’s call was routed to Dr. Shanavas Palliyal, Deputy General Manager of Dr. Moopen’s Medical College, where Jojo worked. Palliyal promptly alerted the police and dispatched an ambulance. However, rescue efforts were hindered by blocked roads, uprooted trees, and a subsequent landslide that severed communication.
Despite repeated attempts to reach Jojo, including regular contact with the ambulance crew, rescuers could not access her location due to the destroyed Chooralmala bridge. The recording of Jojo’s frantic pleas underscores the severe challenges faced by rescue teams.
Jojo was one of four hospital staff members who died in the landslide affecting Mundakkai and Chooralmala. Her body was found days later; her husband, their young child, and his mother survived.
“The side of the house where Neethu and others were trapped was entirely destroyed,” Palliyal said. “It seems they were trapped in a room after the first landslide wave and couldn’t escape before the next wave struck.”
The tragedy highlights the devastating impact of the landslide on the community and the severe challenges faced by rescue operations. As Wayanad begins to recover, Jojo’s brave efforts to alert authorities have drawn widespread attention to the disaster’s urgency.
