The salesman, who resides in Mundakkai village in the Wayanad district, was initially unsure of the source of the sound.
However, he realized what was approaching when he peered outside and saw a massive volume of mud pouring down from a hill above.
The catastrophic landslides that struck Mundakkai and the nearby Chooralmala district that night resulted in at least 166 deaths and 192 unaccounted for deaths.
The state has not faced a tragedy of this magnitude since the 2018 floods, and it has left a path of devastation in its wake.
In an effort to find potential survivors, authorities in the area began a large rescue operation on Tuesday. However, the intense rains have made their attempts more difficult.
Wayanad, a hilly region renowned for its untamed landscape and breathtaking views, is a well-liked tourist destination that welcomes over 100,000 people each year. The area is home to several indigenous tribes and is peppered with charming plantations growing cardamom and tea.
Landslides are nothing new in the district, which is a part of the environmentally delicate Western Ghats, a mountain range that stretches down India’s western coast.
