Wayanad tunnel mudslide toll rises to four; search on for missing

An intensive multi-agency rescue operation continued on Tuesday at the site of the devastating mudslide that struck the Wayanad end of the Anakkampoyil–Kalladi tunnel road project in Kerala, with the death toll rising to four and four more people still feared trapped beneath tonnes of mud and debris.

Rescuers, battling incessant rain and unstable terrain, are racing against time to locate the missing, while 10 injured persons are undergoing treatment at two hospitals.

The massive mudslide flattened parts of the construction site, swept away a church and a nearby house, and buried a bridge that connected the affected area, severely hampering rescue efforts.

Authorities said a major tragedy was narrowly averted as the house was locked because its occupants had left on a pilgrimage to Mecca, while the church was unoccupied when the mudslide struck.

With the bridge buried under thick layers of debris, rescue teams have deployed heavy machinery, including two excavators, to clear the mud and restore access to the disaster site.

The mudslide occurred near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, where work on the Wayanad end of the tunnel road project was underway. Preliminary findings suggest that relentless rainfall triggered the collapse of massive heaps of excavated earth stacked at the construction site, burying workers, vehicles and parts of the work area.

The disaster followed exceptionally heavy rainfall in Meppadi, which recorded 226 mm of rain in the past 24 hours, further destabilising the already saturated hillside.

The site, a popular stop for tourists, also had several private vehicles and a bus used to transport construction workers parked nearby when the mudslide occurred, raising fears that more people may remain trapped beneath the debris.

After chairing an emergency review meeting at the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), chief minister V.D. Satheesan said rescue operations were continuing despite relentless rain creating extremely challenging conditions.

He revealed that the government had repeatedly directed the construction company to remove the enormous quantities of excavated earth dumped at the site and had even issued a formal order on 20 June. However, the company allegedly failed to comply with those directions.

The chief minister also directed revenue minister A.P. Anil Kumar and agriculture minister T. Siddique to rush to Wayanad and oversee the rescue operation on the ground.

Speaking before leaving for the site, Siddique said preliminary findings pointed to the manner in which excavated earth had been stored during tunnel construction.

"This is not a natural landslide. This is a man-made disaster," he said, alleging that excavated soil had been dumped in an unscientific manner despite earlier warnings. He added that the government would examine whether adequate action had been taken after concerns were first raised.

Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed grief over the tragedy and said every possible effort was being made to rescue those trapped beneath the debris.

In a statement, she said the state government, district administration, police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Defence volunteers and other agencies were working in close coordination to carry out rescue and relief operations.

Offering condolences to the bereaved families, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Our prayers and hope are with those who are still missing. May they remain strong while rescue teams strive to reach them."

She also appealed to party workers and local residents to cooperate fully with the authorities and avoid any activity that could obstruct the ongoing rescue mission.

With heavy rain continuing to lash the region and tonnes of debris still to be cleared, rescue personnel remain engaged in a race against time in the hope of finding survivors beneath the mud.

With IANS inputs