New Delhi, 7 July
At least 2 dead as landslides ravage Wayanad, toll likely to rise
At least two people were killed and several others remain missing after a massive landslide struck the tunnel road project site near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi in Kerala‘s Wayanad district on Tuesday, July 7.
The death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams continue searching through the debris. Officials said the landslide occurred around 11 am at the site of the Kozhikode-Wayanad tunnel road project, where reinforcement and slope protection work was underway.
Rescue operations involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue Services, police, Forest Department personnel and local residents are in progress.
Several trapped, rescue operation underway
According to officials, three people were rescued from the site, while seven persons are still missing. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Authorities have also evacuated families living near the landslide zone due to the risk of further slope failures. Temporary accommodation has been arranged in Meppady. At least 2 dead as landslides ravage Wayanad, toll likely to rise
The Kalladi-Meppady road remains closed following the incident.
Dramatic videos capture terrifying landslide
Shocking videos from the scene show a massive wall of mud crashing onto the Meenakshi Bridge and nearby road as people desperately run to safety.
The mudslide swept away a parked tanker lorry and engulfed nearby commercial establishments. CCTV footage also showed a lorry crashing into a parked jeep before a man and woman became trapped between the vehicles. Both survived the incident. At least 2 dead as landslides ravage Wayanad, toll likely to rise.
Engineers say no tunnelling work was underway; At least 2 dead as landslides ravage Wayanad
Engineers associated with the tunnel project said tunnelling activities had been suspended since June 12 and only reinforcement and safety-related works were being carried out.
According to them, around 15 workers were engaged in constructing a gabion wall and slope protection when the landslide occurred.
An engineer said the collapse originated from a slope outside the designated construction area.
“The debris reached the Meenakshi Bridge within seconds,” he said, adding that technical staff on one side of the bridge escaped safely while others were caught in the mudslide.
A senior government official said no active tunnelling work was taking place at the time of the incident.
“There were no tunnel workers at the site. Those feared trapped are engineers and security personnel. Had regular work been underway, the tragedy could have been much worse,” the official said.
Kerala government reviews situation; At least 2 dead as landslides ravage Wayanad, toll likely to rise
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan reviewed the rescue operations at the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.
He said authorities had earlier instructed contractors to remove the huge quantity of excavated mud accumulated near the site.
“However, the contractors failed to comply with the directions. It is an unfortunate incident, and rescue efforts are continuing,” he said.
The Chief Minister also clarified that the landslide was not caused by the absence of a weather warning but by the failure to remove the dumped earth despite repeated instructions.
Minister calls it a “man-made landslide”
Kerala Agriculture Minister T Siddique termed the incident a “man-made landslide,” alleging that unscientific dumping of excavated soil triggered the disaster.
“This is not a natural landslide. It happened because excavated earth was dumped in an unscientific manner,” he said.
The minister said concerns over the dumping had previously been raised, especially after heavy rainfall in Wayanad, and directions had been issued to remove the accumulated earth or suspend work if necessary.
He added that the government would investigate why those directions were not implemented.
IMD issues red alert; At least 2 dead as landslides ravage Wayanad, toll likely to rise
Following the incident, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Wayanad and neighbouring Kozhikode district amid extremely heavy rainfall.
Mananthavady recorded 64 mm of rainfall, while Vythiri received 123 mm during the day.
A red alert signifies the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 204 mm in 24 hours, prompting authorities to remain on high alert as rescue operations continue.