CHAMARAJANAGAR: A family of tea estate workers from Chamarajanagar narrowly escaped death during the Chooralmala landslide, but their livestock and belongings were not spared. Jayashree and her family, who had been working at a tea estate in Chooralmala, faced a harrowing experience when their cattle were swept away by the floodwaters.
According to Jayashree, the family had reared cows to supplement their income. That fateful night, they were alerted by loud noises from their cattle. Upon checking, they found their cattleshed submerged, and were unable to free the cows. Jayashree recounted their struggle, saying, “We hardly slept and kept a torch handy. When we tried to get the cows out, it was already too late.”
Their neighbor Vinod, her sister-in-law’s son, played a crucial role in their rescue by pulling them to safety. Despite his efforts, Jayashree’s son was briefly caught in the rushing water but was also rescued. Although the family survived, they lost all their cash, jewelry, and their beloved cows. The house was completely destroyed by the landslide.
Currently, Jayashree, her husband Siddaraju, and their son have relocated to their daughter’s home in Chamarajanagar. They had lived in Chooralmala for 35 years, working at the tea estate and rearing cows. Their future remains uncertain as they cope with the aftermath of this devastating event.