A massive landslide triggered by relentless monsoon rainfall struck Kalladi near Meppady in Kerala's Wayanad district on Tuesday, burying part of an under-construction tunnel project and prompting a large-scale rescue operation.
The incident, captured on camera, showed huge volumes of mud, rocks and debris cascading down the hillside within seconds, engulfing the construction site as workers attempted to flee.
A landslide at the Kalladi tunnel work site in #Wayanad blocked the road and injured 5 people. They have been taken to the hospital. No deaths have been reported. Work at the site had already been stopped because of heavy rain. The area received 265 mm of rain in the last 24… pic.twitter.com/3LrpPhR0gM
— Ashish (@KP_Aashish) July 7, 2026
Emergency rescue operations were launched immediately following the disaster, with local residents praised for rushing to the scene to pull early survivors to safety. Dispatched units from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire services have taken over the site, amid fears from local officials that approximately 10 individuals remain trapped beneath the mud and debris, as per NDTV.
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Meanwhile, six injured survivors have been evacuated and admitted to a local hospital, where they are currently receiving medical treatment.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue Services, police and local authorities launched coordinated rescue efforts soon after the landslide. Earth-moving equipment was pressed into service to remove debris, while rescue teams continued searching for workers who may still be trapped beneath the mud and rocks.
Following the devastating Wayanad landslide, Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan convened an emergency meeting with Agriculture Minister T Siddique on Tuesday. The chief minister directed administrative and disaster management officials to execute rescue and relief operations.
In the wake of the landslide near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi in #Wayanad, the government reviewed the situation. An emergency meeting was held with Agriculture Minister T. Siddique, who is from the district. Directions have been issued to coordinate rescue operations without…
— V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) July 7, 2026
Kerala Agriculture Minister T. Siddique has labelled the catastrophic landslide at the Kalladi tunnel construction site a "man-made disaster", alleging severe administrative negligence by the executing agency.
#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram | On Wayanad landslide, Keralam Minister T Siddique says, "It is not a natural landslide, but a man-made landslide. It is a clear case of lapse. Six people are seriously injured, and they are admitted to the hospital. Their condition is stable. We will… pic.twitter.com/QMvHZIT7bD
— ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2026
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Geographically situated at the southern tip of the Deccan Plateau, Wayanad district forms a critical part of the ecologically fragile Western Ghats mountain range.
The mountain ranges bordering Kerala's Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts are identified as high-risk landslide zones due to their steep terrain and heavy monsoon rainfall. Wayanad is also classified as a Zone III Moderate Damage Risk Zone under the Bureau of Indian Standards' seismic zoning map, indicating moderate earthquake vulnerability.
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