5 dead, several feared trapped in Wayanad landslide near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi

Dubai: The death toll from the landslide that struck Kerala's Wayanad district on Tuesday has risen to at least five, with several others still feared trapped beneath the debris as rescuers raced against time amid continuing heavy rain.

The landslide occurred near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, close to the Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel road project linking Malappuram and Wayanad districts. Construction workers were at the site when the slope gave way.

Rescue operations were launched immediately, with local residents joining emergency teams to pull people from the debris. Indian media reports said around 10 people were feared trapped, while six injured people were admitted to hospital.

Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services and teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to the site. Kerala Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar said rescue operations had begun and that an initial team of 30 NDRF personnel had reached the area.

Authorities said the region received 265mm of rain over the previous 24 hours, with the incessant downpour believed to have triggered the landslide. Several vehicles used to transport tunnel project workers were also damaged.

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan convened an emergency meeting with Agriculture Minister T. Siddique following the incident and directed officials to carry out rescue and relief operations on a war footing. The chief minister also instructed Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar and Siddique to travel to Wayanad to oversee the rescue efforts.

According to NDTV, the chief minister said one person had been killed, seven people injured and seven others remained missing after the landslide. He also alleged that the tunnel project’s contractor had failed to comply with a June 20 order issued by the District Collector and the District Disaster Management Authority directing the removal of soil from the construction site.

'Man-made'

The channel also reported that Minister Siddique described the landslide as “man-made”, alleging that authorities had previously warned Konkan Railways about the risk of a landslide at the site.

Speaking to reporters, Siddique said six injured people were in stable condition and claimed Konkan Railways had failed to act despite repeated warnings. He drew parallels with the 2024 Mundakkai landslide in Wayanad, which killed 298 people.

The minister said two NDRF teams comprising about 60 personnel from Wayanad and Kozhikode had been deployed, adding that the District Collector was present at the site and that he and Revenue Minister Anil Kumar were travelling to supervise the rescue operation.

IMD issues red alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Wayanad on Tuesday after heavy rainfall lashed Mananthavady and Vythiri and the landslide struck the Kalladi tunnel project site around 11am.

A red alert was also issued for neighbouring Kozhikode district, while Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod were placed under an orange alert.

Official rainfall data showed Mananthavady received 64 mm of rain while Vythiri recorded 123 mm during the day. The IMD defines a red alert as extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 204 mm in 24 hours.

District has history of deadly landslides

Wayanad has witnessed several deadly landslides over the decades, the worst occurring on July 30, 2024, when massive landslides struck the district, killing 298 people.

Among earlier disasters were the 1984 Mundakkai debris flow, which claimed 14 lives, the 1992 Kappikkalam landslide that killed 11 people, and the 2007 Valamthode landslide, which left four people dead.

Most landslide-prone district

Located in the Western Ghats, Wayanad is regarded as Kerala’s most landslide-prone district. Nearly 17,000 square kilometres of land across Kerala, mostly along the Western Ghats, has been identified as vulnerable to landslides.

The hill ranges along the Wayanad-Malappuram-Kozhikode belt are considered particularly susceptible, with the Wayanad-Kozhikode border identified by the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) as one of the state’s highest-risk landslide zones.