One person lost their life, seven individuals sustained injuries, and seven others are unaccounted for following a mudslide at the Wayanad end of the Anakkampoyil–Kalladi tunnel road project. The incident, described as a tragic event by Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, occurred near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi during construction activities. Heavy rainfall in Meppadi, with 226 mm recorded in the past 24 hours, is believed to have triggered the collapse of excavated earth, burying parts of the work area.
Rescue operations are ongoing despite challenging weather conditions, with fears that individuals might still be trapped beneath the debris. The construction company had been instructed to remove the accumulated excavated earth, as per a government order issued on June 20, but failed to comply. Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar and Agriculture Minister T. Siddique have been dispatched to oversee rescue efforts in Wayanad.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the disaster was exacerbated by the improper storage of excavated earth at the tunnel construction site. Minister Siddique highlighted that the incident was not a natural landslide but a man-made disaster, emphasizing the importance of adhering to safety protocols in construction projects. The focus of the inquiry is likely to center on whether the negligent handling of excavated earth and safety oversights significantly contributed to the tragedy.
