Wayanad Mudslide Death Toll Rises to 4; Priyanka Gandhi Urges People to Back Rescue Efforts

Kalpetta/Thiruvananthapuram (IANS): The death toll from the devastating mudslide at the Wayanad end of the Anakkampoyil–Kalladi tunnel road project rose to four on Tuesday. Multi-agency rescue teams are racing against time to locate four more people who remain missing beneath tonnes of mud and debris.

Hospitals in the region are treating ten injured victims, while rescuers search for survivors trapped underneath the rubble.

The massive mudslide also swept away a local church and a nearby house. Fortunately, the house was empty because the occupants had left for a pilgrimage to Mecca, and no one was inside the church when the disaster struck.

Key Obstacles Hampering Rescue Operations

• Buried Infrastructure: The mudslide completely buried a vital bridge linking the affected areas, cutting off easy access for emergency vehicles.
• Debris Clearing: Two heavy excavators are working non-stop to clear the mud and reopen the path for rescue teams.
• Relentless Weather: Severe, continuous downpours are making the operations incredibly dangerous and difficult for the personnel on the ground.

Priyanka Gandhi Appeals for Support and Focus

Wayanad MP and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra confirmed that the state machinery is working in close coordination to rescue those trapped.

In an official statement, she noted that Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan is personally monitoring the site, where teams from the Police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Civil Defence are currently deployed. Ministers T. Siddique and A.P. Anil Kumar are also travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to coordinate relief operations alongside the district administration.

Gandhi extended her condolences to the grieving families and urged political workers and the public to cooperate fully.

“Our prayers and hope are with those who are still missing. At a time like this, we must ensure that rescue and relief operations are not hampered. Everyone should help in every possible way without creating any distraction,” she said.

“A Man-Made Disaster”: Ministers Blame Construction Company

The disaster occurred near the Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, following an exceptionally heavy 226 mm of rainfall in Meppadi over 24 hours. Because the scenic area is a popular tourist stop, rescue teams fear that the mudslide trapped workers inside a parked transit bus as well as visitors inside their private cars.

Following an emergency review meeting at the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) headquarters, Chief Minister Satheesan revealed that the tragedy was entirely preventable.

According to the Chief Minister, authorities had repeatedly ordered the construction company to clear the massive mounds of excavated earth piled at the site. The government even issued a formal order on June 20, which the company ignored.

Speaking to the media before rushing to the accident site, Agriculture Minister T. Siddique slammed the contractors for piling the loose earth unscientifically.

“This is not a natural landslide. This is a man-made disaster,” Siddique stated, confirming that the government will investigate why the company ignored the official warnings.