Lagatar24 Desk
Wayanad: In an astonishing and tragic twist, a story written by a Class 8 student in Kerala has eerily premonitioned the massive landslides that recently struck Wayanad, claiming nearly 300 lives and injuring more than 200.
The student, Laya, penned the prophetic lines for her school magazine last year: “If it rains, landslides will hit the waterfall, engulfing everything in their path, including human lives.” A year later, devastating landslides flattened her town, Chooramala, burying her school, Government Vocational Higher Secondary School in Chooramala’s Vellarmala, under debris. Tragically, Laya also lost her father to the disaster.
Laya’s story, titled “Agrahathinte Duranubhavam” (The Misery of Desire), tells of a girl who drowns in a waterfall but returns as a bird to warn two friends about impending danger. In the tale, the bird urges the children to leave the area, saving them from a fate similar to hers. This narrative mirrored the real-life calamity that struck her town.
The first landslide hit at 2 am on Tuesday, followed by another at 4:10 am, causing widespread destruction. Homes and livelihoods were destroyed, and many areas, such as Meppadi, Mundakkai, and Chooralmala, were isolated with roads washed away.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a high-level meeting in Wayanad to assess the situation, emphasizing that rescue efforts would be prioritized and rehabilitation would commence as soon as possible.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Wayanad MP, described the landslides as a “terrible tragedy.” Gandhi, who arrived in Wayanad to evaluate the destruction, called for an urgent and comprehensive action plan to address the disaster’s aftermath.
Laya’s prophetic story has now become a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the unpredictable forces of nature, highlighting the need for preparedness and swift action in the face of natural disasters.
