Wayanad Mudslide: 1 Dead, 7 Missing; Rescue Teams Race to Save Victims Trapped Under Debris  

Thiruvananthapuram/Wayanad (IANS): Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan confirmed that at least one person died while seven others are missing, and seven more victims are hospitalized in a mudslide that hit the Anakkampoyil–Kalladi tunnel road project site on Tuesday.

Emergency crews are racing against time in Wayanad as authorities fear construction workers and tourists remain trapped under the massive mudslide. Rescuers have pulled three people from the debris so far, shifting them to safety. However, massive mounds of excavated earth—loosened by 226 mm of relentless rainfall over the last 24 hours—crashed down near the Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, burying a large section of the work site, a worker transport bus, and several private vehicles.

Race Against Time to Find Survivors

Because the scenic site doubles as a popular tourist stop, authorities suspect the landslide trapped not just site labourers but also visitors who had parked their vehicles nearby.

• Vehicles Buried: The mudslide engulfed a bus used to transport construction workers alongside multiple tourist cars.
• Rescue Operations: Fire and Rescue Services, local police, and emergency agencies are digging through the mud on a war footing.
• Reinforcements: A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team is rushing to the site to boost the search for survivors.

Officials cannot yet confirm the exact number of missing people as torrential rain hampers the ongoing rescue efforts.

Government Orders Emergency Mobilisation

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan held an emergency meeting with Agriculture Minister T. Siddique.

Ordering rescue operations to proceed on a war footing, Satheesan directed Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar and Minister Siddique to rush to Wayanad immediately to oversee the search-and-rescue mission on the ground.

While locals blame the disaster on huge mounds of excavated earth left stacked at the tunnel construction site, officials state their priority is on locating and saving the trapped victims.