NEW DELHI: The death toll in the landslide near the tunnel construction site in Kerala’s Wayanad district rose to four on Tuesday, while rescue teams continued searching for missing persons amid heavy rain and unstable terrain. The incident has also triggered a political controversy, with the opposition alleging negligence in safety measures at the project site.
The landslide struck near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, where work on the Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel road project was underway. Several people were injured, and search operations involving multiple agencies continued through the day.
Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi express condolences
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi described the tragedy as “deeply distressing” and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones.
“The news of the landslide in Wayanad is deeply distressing. My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected,” Rahul said in a post on X.
He said rescue operations were underway and appealed to Congress and United Democratic Front (UDF) workers to assist relief efforts. “Wayanad has shown remarkable resilience in the face of adversity before, and together, we will stand by every affected family through this tragedy,” he added.
Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed grief and urged party workers and local residents to support relief operations while following official instructions. She said police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, civil defence volunteers and district authorities were working together in the rescue effort.
Videos capture dramatic moments
Videos circulating on social media and CCTV footage from the area captured the moment the landslide struck.
One eyewitness can be heard shouting, “Run fast, friends,” moments before a massive wall of mud, rocks and uprooted trees swept downhill towards Meenakshi Bridge after heavy rainfall.
The debris swept away barricades and engulfed a fuel tanker parked on the bridge. CCTV footage showed several people attempting to flee before being caught in the rapidly advancing mudslide. The tanker was pushed into a parked jeep before coming to a halt.
In a dramatic escape, a man and a woman were later seen emerging alive from between the two vehicles, covered in mud, while several others managed to limp away from the scene.
Another video showed a private bus transporting tunnel workers being pushed into a nearby river by the force of the landslide. Later visuals showed the vehicle partially submerged as rescue personnel searched the debris for survivors.
Government cites ignored safety warnings
The Kerala government alleged that repeated directions to remove excavated soil from the construction site had not been followed.
Officials said the district administration and the Disaster Management Authority had repeatedly instructed the executing agency to clear the accumulated earth from the site before the landslide occurred.
State minister T. Siddique described the incident as a “man-made disaster”, alleging that negligence had contributed to the tragedy.
However, Public Works Department Minister P.K. Basheer said the project was being executed by the Konkan Railway Corporation under an arrangement made during the previous government and urged against politicising the incident.
Basheer said the government had repeatedly directed the executing agency not to deploy workers during heavy rainfall and to remove excavated soil from the construction site.
PWD Secretary Adeela Abdulla said safety concerns had been raised during several review meetings over the past three weeks. She added that the absence of workers at the site during the heavy rain had prevented an even greater loss of life.
Opposition demands investigation
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Pinarayi Vijayan described the landslide as “tragic and shocking” and called for a comprehensive investigation to determine whether lapses or “criminal negligence” in implementing safety measures contributed to the disaster.
He also urged the government to provide immediate financial assistance to the families of those killed, ensure free treatment for the injured and intensify rescue operations.
Search operations continue
Teams from the police, Fire and Rescue Services, NDRF and other emergency agencies continued search and rescue operations late into the day.
Authorities are also assessing the stability of the surrounding area, while relief camps have been opened for displaced residents and injured survivors are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
