The road connectivity to the Kalladi landslide site in Keralam’s Wayanad has been restored as of Wednesday. State’s Agriculture Minister T Siddique confirmed that all roads blocked by the mudslide were cleared by 4.00 am today, easing the movement of heavy machinery, essential equipment, and specialised rescue teams to the disaster zone.
Siddique said that following the landslide that struck the tunnel construction site at approximately 11.15 am yesterday, three victims have been confirmed dead, while five others remain missing. The rescue operation is being conducted in full mode, with agencies including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Rapid Response Force (RRF), and Fire and Rescue Services working in coordinated zones to locate the missing.
"The traffic through the blocked roads due to the mudslide was completely cleared by 4 am today morning. It will help all activities, including transporting vehicles and equipment for the search operations, and the rescue efforts will be boosted in a very good manner," Siddique cited.
The bodies of the deceased have been transferred to Government Medical College, Kozhikode, for embalming. By noon today, they are scheduled to be transported by ambulance to Kochi Airport for transit to their respective native states.
"The bodies of the three people who died in this incident have been shifted from Taluka Hospital to Government Medical College, Kozhikode, and the embalming process is now going on. By around noon, the bodies will be shifted by ambulance to Kochi Airport, from where they will be flown to their respective native places," the Minister informed.
Search for missing continues -
Two cadaver dogs are currently deployed at the site, with expectations for two or three additional dogs to arrive in the afternoon to assist in the search. The debris, which covers large sections of the worksite under 7 to 10 feet of mud, also buried a bus used to transport workers, though authorities confirmed the vehicle was empty at the time of the incident.
"The rescue effort is ongoing in full mode. We have our NDRF, RRF, and Fire Force teams, and we are using the services of cadaver dogs also. The road towards the Chooralmala area is fully cleared and is vehicle-worthy. On both sides of the road, massive earth has piled up, and we have to remove that mud," District Police Chief of Wayanad, S Deva Manohar, informed.
The landslide occurred within a 200-metre radius of the tunnel construction site, burying large sections of the worksite under 7 to 10 feet of mud and debris. Authorities have divided the rescue operation into four zones to ensure systematic searches. The first day's operation involved 65 NDRF personnel, 100 police personnel, 158 Fire and Rescue Services and Civil Defence personnel, 52 workers from the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), besides volunteers and local residents.
Police have registered a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), while investigation, identification of the victims, and search operations continue. Relief camps remain operational for displaced families, and authorities have imposed traffic and public movement restrictions around the disaster zone to facilitate uninterrupted rescue efforts.
IMD issues yellow alert -
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Wayanad for Wednesday, forecasting heavy rainfall of 7 cm to 11 cm at isolated places. The weather department has also predicted widespread rain and thundershowers across Kerala and warned of strong surface winds of 40-50 kmph until July 9, posing additional challenges to rescue operations.
Notably, Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Tuesday said the collapse at the Wayanad tunnel construction site was an "unfortunate disaster" and alleged that contractors had failed to comply with repeated directions from the authorities to remove excavated soil, even after warnings from the District Disaster Management Authority.
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