18 families buried alive when their houses cave in under a hillock at Kavalappara in Malappuram district

As many as 46 people were feared killed when they were buried alive in a massive landslide at Kavalappara, near Nilambur, in Malappuram district on Thursday night.

The depth of the disaster is yet to be assessed as none could clearly say how many people remain under the tonnes of mud and soil that covered the vast residential area on the fringes of a hillock.

Additional District Magistrate N.M. Meharali told The Hindu that 18 families were feared trapped in the debris. Shock and heart-wrenching disbelief was the immediate response when people outside Kavalappara learnt about the disaster almost 15 hours after it took place.

The first team of rescue workers reached the spot surmounting many hurdles by afternoon, and three bodies were retrieved when the search operations were suspended by 6 p.m.

Local people said a large portion of land where more than 30 houses stood had caved in and the hillock behind them had fallen over the houses. A few of the families hit by the tragedy were tribespeople.

‘Refused to leave’

District administration officials said the ill-fated families had refused to evacuate their houses when revenue authorities and the police wanted them to two days ago. When 17 families had shifted to safer places, the victims refused to move out saying that they had been living there for years. “It’s sad; I’m told some of them even had pelted stones at the officials who tried to evacuate them,” said Mr. Meharali.

None of those who are missing is expected to have survived the disaster. Rescue operations were suspended as it turned dark. “We will resume the search on Saturday,” said a senior police officer camping at the site.

A small team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel joined the search using one earth mover. More rescue personnel and earth movers are expected to join the drive on Saturday.

Fear of landslips

Rescue workers said a huge quantity of soft mud and soil had covered the houses. They feared being sunk into the soft mud when they stepped on to the debris. Sporadic rain hampered rescue efforts, and they feared more landslips in the region.

Communication and power supply to the area remained cut off in the incessant rain that lashed across the district. Heavy flooding in the Chaliyar and its tributaries made access to the region difficult.