Wayanad, 07 July (H.S.): One labourer is feared dead, nine others were injured and several more are suspected to be trapped after a massive landslide struck the under-construction twin-tunnel project site at Kalladi in Kerala's Wayanad district on Tuesday, triggering a large-scale rescue operation.
The incident occurred after a portion of the earth and debris caved in at the construction site amid incessant heavy rainfall in the region. Officials said concrete work was being carried out when a retaining wall and excavated earth gave way, sending huge volumes of slush cascading down the slope and burying parts of the worksite.
According to the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC), rescue operations are continuing as authorities try to determine the exact number of workers trapped beneath the debris.
Officials said the area had received around 265 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, creating unstable ground conditions. Although construction activities at the site had reportedly been suspended since Sunday because of the heavy rain, several workers and others present near the site were caught in the landslide.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said excavated debris from the tunnel work site slid downhill, blocking access roads and engulfing temporary work stations. Dramatic visuals from the site showed thick slush uprooting trees and sweeping across the construction area, while rescue personnel and local residents struggled to pull trapped workers from the debris.
Nine injured workers were rescued and admitted to WIMS Hospital. They were identified as Hiran Kumar, Dileep, Sooraj Yadav, Sanjay Tapur, Rajanish, Thanmai Ghosh, Koodammal, Santhosh and Kunju. Hospital authorities said all of them were in stable condition.
Residents in the area expressed fears that more workers and several vehicles could still be buried under the debris, prompting authorities to intensify search efforts.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Kozhikode and Wayanad, along with Fire and Rescue Services personnel, police and district officials, have been deployed at the site. Heavy machinery has also been brought in to remove the accumulated earth and facilitate rescue operations.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan convened an emergency meeting soon after the incident and directed Agriculture Minister and Wayanad in-charge Minister T. Siddique to coordinate rescue efforts on the ground. Revenue Minister A.P. Anilkumar and Siddique later left for Wayanad to oversee the operations.
The District Collector has reached the site, while State Disaster Management Authority member Sekhar Kuriakose has been entrusted with coordinating the rescue mission.
Speaking after reviewing the situation, Minister Siddique alleged that the accident was the result of unscientific construction practices at the tunnel project. He said the government's immediate priority was to rescue anyone still trapped and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured.
Rescue operations continued late into the day as authorities raced against time amid challenging weather conditions and fears that additional workers could still be buried beneath the massive mound of mud and debris.
