Courageous Enough: Kerala Forest Officials Scale Wayanad hill to Save Six Tribals from Cave

The Kerala forest department saved six tribal individuals, including four children, from a landslide- hit region in Wayanad.

As the rescue mission in Wayanad is still ongoing, over 200 people are still missing, with hundreds have lost their lives, and the fate of the rescued is still uncertain. Amidst the tragic and devastating scenes in the landslide stricken Kerala, a narrative of Courage has captured the hearts of many.

Enduring a hazardous four-hour trek through thick forest, heavy rain and treacherous terrain, a four member team led by Kalpetta Range Officer, K Hashis, managed to rescue the tribal family. The four toddlers were aged between one and four.

The family belongs to the Paniya Community in Wayanad and had been trapped in a cave on a hill overlooking a steep gorge,” Hashis told the news agency PTI.

He also mentioned that they found the mother and her four- year-old child searching for food for the other other children and their father, who remained trapped in the cave.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan praised the forest department for their bravery and efforts during an eight- hour rescue mission into the Western Ghats. 

On X, he wrote “In a relentless 8- hour operation, our brave forest officers saved six precious lives from a remote tribal settlement in landslide-stricken Wayanad. Their heroism showcases Kerala’s resilience and strength in the face of adversity. United in hope, we will rebuild and grow stronger.”

Hashis described the situation by stating that the tribal community “ relied on forest products for their survival and generally avoided interactions with outsiders.” 

He went on to explain that “due to severe landslides and heavy rainfall,” their typical methods of gathering foods were deeply concerning. The heavy rains and resulting landslides had disrupted their access to the forest resources they depend upon.

This disruption has left the community struggling to find adequate food, compounding their difficulties in an already challenging environment.

The road to rescue the tribals was a steep slope, made even more dangerous by the heavy rain. The officers had to use ropes tied to trees and rocks to climb,which was quite risky. 

They fed the exhausted children with the supplies they had. After a lot of effort the children’s father agreed to leave with them, so they carried the children on their backs and began the difficult trek back.

The landslides that struck Wayanad on Tuesday caused extensive damage, tearing apart roads , bridges, and other crucial public infrastructure which left many residents trapped in the affected areas.

The disaster has taken 308 lives, marking it as the deadliest natural catastrophe Kerala has experienced since the 2018 floods.