Heroic Save: 7 Km Trek, 4 Forest Officers, 8 Hour-Long Operation To Rescue Tribal Family Stranded In Wayanad Landslide

Amid the devastating landslide in Wayanad, a tribal family, including four children, trapped in a forest, was safely rescued by forest officers who showed remarkable bravery. Led by K. Hashis, a forest officer from the Kalpetta range, a four-member team risked their lives and ventured into dangerous paths within the forest to save the family. 

This family from the Paniya community in Wayanad was trapped in a cave on a hill, adjacent to a deep gorge. The family included four children aged between one and four years. It took the forest officers' team more than four and a half hours to reach the cave. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan praised the daring attempt of the forest officers on social media. 

Forest Officer Hashis told our team that on Thursday, they found a woman and a four-year-old child near the forest area. Upon inquiry, they learned that three more children and their father were trapped in a cave and had nothing to eat. 

Hashis explained that the family belongs to a particular tribal community that usually prefers not to mingle with outsiders, making this rescue operation even more challenging. This tribal community typically depends on forest products, which they sell in local markets to buy food items like rice. 

On Friday, a photo of an officer carrying a child in his arms went viral on social media. It is often said that the one who saves is greater than the one who destroys. The children, who had been hungry for several hours after the Wayanad landslide, were distressed. The forest department team set an example of bravery and courage that the world watched in awe. People are saluting them for their heroism. 

In this operation, which seemed impossible, the forest officers, acting as guardian angels, climbed slippery and steep rocks amidst heavy rain, crossed flowing water streams, and reached the distressed and exhausted children trapped in a remote area. They gave the children the food they had brought with them. After much persuasion, the parents agreed to go to a safe location with the forest team. The team then tied the children to their bodies and began descending. Later, the family was provided with proper food, clothes, and shoes at the center in Attamala. Currently, the tribal family's children are safe. 

The rescue officers mentioned that it appeared the landslide and heavy rains left the family with nothing to eat. As a result, they were trapped in the disaster. The officers tied the children to their bodies using cloth and safely rescued them using ropes. The story and pictures of this rescue operation are truly emotional. 

The rescue officers mentioned that it appeared the landslide and heavy rains left the family with nothing to eat. As a result, they were trapped in the disaster. The officers tied the children to their bodies using cloth and safely rescued them using ropes. The story and pictures of this rescue operation are truly emotional. 

According to the report, alongside Forest Officer Hashis, Deputy Forest Officer B.S Jayachandran, Beat Forest Officer K. Anil Kumar, and Quick Response Team member Anoop Thomas covered a distance of more than seven kilometers to rescue the tribal family.