Ajay Kumar at 06:52, 9 August 2023

2023-08-09T06:52:11Z

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{{Short description|Landslide in Kerala, South India}}
{{Infobox event
| title = 2020 Pettimudi landslide
| caption =
| native_name =
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| english_name =
| time =
| duration =
| date = 6 August 2020
| venue =
| location = Pettimudi, [[Idukki District]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| coordinates =
| also_known_as =
| type = [[Landslide]]
| theme =
| cause =
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| outcome =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
| casualties3 =
| reported deaths = 66
| reported injuries =
| reported missing = 4
| reported property damage =
| burial =
| notes =
}}

On 6 August 2020, 66 people died in Pettimudi, [[Idukki district|Idukki]] in the [[South India|South Indian]] state of [[Kerala]] due to a landslide.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-09-27 |title=Landslides in Pettimudi: social inequalities in disasters |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/specials/text-and-context/landslides-in-pettimudi-social-inequalities-in-disasters/article65939327.ece |access-date=2023-08-07 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The bodies of 4 people, who are believed to be trapped underground have not yet been found.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-06 |title=One year of Pettimudi landslide; a scar yet to be healed |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/pettimudi-disasterrajamala-hills-1.5888970 |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref>

==Landslide==
The boulder burst from the border of the [[Eravikulam National Park|Iravikulam National Park]] with a loud noise and fell into the Pettimudi river destroying the labor camps two kilometers below. The houses where the workers of [[Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company|Kannandevan Hills Plantation]] lived were destroyed. Most of the people could not escape because they were asleep. The electricity connection was interrupted and the tragedy came to the outside world late. The area got covered with soil up to a height of ten feet and huge rocks fell in many places.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pettimudi landslide: Memories weigh down desolate survivors |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2021/aug/06/pettimudi-landslide-memories-weigh-downdesolate-survivors-2340820.html |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

==Rescue operations==
Pettimudi is located on a hill more than 30 km from [[Munnar]]. At the time oflandslide, there was no mobile phone coverage or landline facility. The bridge on the road was washed away because of which the rescuers could not reach in time. A 50-member team of the [[National Disaster Response Force]] and the [[Kerala Fire and Rescue Services|Kerala Fire and Rescue]] participated in the rescue operation. The possibility of an air rescue mission was also sought but the attempt was not made due to bad weather. The search was called off when 26 bodies were found on the first day. On the second day, 16 more bodies were recovered. The bodies of those found were cremated. Trained search dogs were also used. A 10-month-old [[Belgian Shepherd|Belgian Malinois]] police dog, Lily, found the bodies of three people buried under the ground. Six more bodies were found on the third day. The dead bodies were recovered from the river and forest area three kilometers away from the accident site.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-19 |title=The devastating Pettimudi landslides in Kerala: Were vulnerabilities ignored? |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/devastating-pettimudi-landslides-kerala-were-vulnerabilities-ignored-131111 |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Landslides in 2020]]
[[Category:Landslides in India]]
[[Category:Disasters in Kerala]]

2020 Pettimudi landslide - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 06:52, 9 August 2023