The catastrophic landslide that hit the Mundakkai region on July 30 has left a double-storied school building in Vellarmala, near Meppadi, in ruins. Once a picturesque site by the riverbank, the school’s vibrant playground, previously echoing with children’s laughter, now lies silent and deserted.
The wreckage of Vellarmala GVHSS was one of the first scenes broadcasted from the disaster area. The landslide, marked by massive boulders and thick slush, destroyed the entire neighborhood, including the school. State government reports indicate that 49 children from the area are missing, with several of them being students at Vellarmala GVHSS.
Unnikrishnan, the headmaster who has served at the school for 18 years, was deeply affected by the loss. “My colleagues are not allowing me to go to school. We were not a typical school. We used to celebrate each and every commemorative day … Each day was a celebration for us. Some of them (students) are gone in the disaster,” he tearfully told reporters, as quoted by PTI.
A video song about the school, written by Unnikrishnan—affectionately known as Unni Mash—has gone viral since the disaster, touching many hearts. “The children were like family. We have been to the houses of most of them. I have had food from their houses. We were like family,” he said, tears streaming down his face. Other teachers also struggled to speak as they recounted their efforts to identify bodies amidst the wreckage.
“It’s not just the students, but their families too have gone,” another teacher remarked, reflecting the deep sorrow engulfing the community.
A poignant incident involved Ammukutty, a student who was pulled from the debris by her hand—the only part of her body visible. “She was pulled out from the ground,” the teacher said, weeping, as per the report.
The disaster has left the surviving students in urgent need of counseling. “How are we going to tell them that their friends are no more?” another teacher lamented.
