Nature struck the hilly Kerala district of Wayanad once again on Tuesday. Amid relentless monsoon rain, a stretch of hillside gave way near the Kalladi tunnel project, killing two people and leaving seven others missing. The incident sent panic through the area as rescue teams rushed to the site to search for the missing, while authorities began moving residents out of vulnerable pockets to safer ground.
When and where the disaster struck
The landslide happened at around 11 am in the Kalladi area, close to Meenakshi Bridge, where construction on the proposed tunnel road connecting Wayanad and Malappuram was underway. Hours of intense rain had weakened the slopes, and a large mass of earth slid down. Initial information indicates that two people lost their lives in the disaster, seven others were injured and shifted to nearby hospitals, and seven more are missing as rescue teams press on with search operations.
Workers' bus swept into the river
The force of the landslide and the floodwaters was so strong that a private bus used to ferry project workers was washed into a nearby river. Images from the site showed the vehicle partly submerged. Officials said the tragedy could have been far more devastating had full-scale construction work been in progress at the time. According to government officials, no large group of construction workers was present when the slope collapsed. However, those feared trapped are believed to include engineers and security personnel stationed near the project area.
Red Alert for Wayanad and Kozhikode
In the wake of the incident, the India Meteorological Department warned of extremely heavy rainfall across parts of northern Kerala and placed Wayanad and Kozhikode under a Red Alert. A Red Alert signals the possibility of exceptionally heavy rain that could set off more landslides, flash floods and widespread disruption. The neighbouring districts of Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod have been put under an Orange Alert, pointing to the likelihood of very heavy rainfall during the ongoing monsoon spell.
Hill soil already saturated
According to weather officials, Wayanad was lashed by heavy rain through the day. Vythiri recorded 123 mm and Mananthavady received 64 mm. The persistent downpour has already soaked the soil across many hill areas, sharply raising the risk of fresh slope failures at new locations.
Rescue effort in tough conditions
Despite the harsh weather, rescue teams, police, fire services and local authorities have been deployed at the site. Heavy rain, unstable slopes and poor visibility have made the search operation even harder. As a precaution, people living nearby are being moved to safer locations to avoid any further mishap. Authorities have urged residents to stay away from hilly and high-risk areas and to take the weather department's warnings seriously.
