At least two people were killed and several others injured after a landslide struck near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi in Wayanad district on Tuesday, close to the site of the ongoing Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel road project connecting Malappuram and Wayanad.
Construction workers were present at the site when the debris came crashing down amid continuous heavy rainfall, officials said. The area, close to Chooralmala and Mundakkai, sits near the stretch devastated by Kerala's catastrophic 2024 landslide.
Following the #Wayanad landslide, the Chief Minister held an emergency meeting with Minister T. Siddique and ordered immediate coordination of rescue operations. Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar and Minister T. Siddique have been directed to reach Wayanad. #NDRF teams from… https://t.co/4zUH6PfXjc pic.twitter.com/HB0ZYc6Kki
— Ashish (@KP_Aashish) July 7, 2026
Five Injured, Rescue Efforts Underway
Five people injured in the incident were rushed to a local hospital for treatment, according to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). Rescue operations were launched immediately, with local residents joining fire and rescue personnel to pull people to safety.
Officials said around 10 people may still be trapped under the debris, and work at the site had reportedly already been halted in view of the heavy rain before the slide occurred. The area is understood to have recorded over 265 mm of rainfall in the preceding 24 hours.
Wayanad, Keralam: A landslide occurred near the tunnel road in Meppadi this morning, injuring eight people. One of the injured is reported to be in critical condition. Rescue teams rushed to the spot and operations are currently underway to assist victims and clear the affected… pic.twitter.com/ThBd2fQapA
— IANS (@ians_india) July 7, 2026
NDRF Teams Deployed
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were rushed to the site, with officials indicating that two teams comprising roughly 60 personnel from Wayanad and Kozhikode were directed to the location to assist with the search and rescue operation.
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#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram | On the Wayanad landslide, Keralam Revenue Minister AP Anil Kumar says, "The rescue operation has already started. A team of 30 NDRF personnel has reached there. We are collecting information about the tragedy and then declare everything." pic.twitter.com/S4Q1x29G4O
— ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2026
CM Chairs Emergency Meeting
Chief Minister VD Satheeshan convened an emergency meeting with Agriculture Minister T Siddique, who represents the district, to review the situation.
Following the meeting, the Chief Minister directed officials to carry out rescue and relief operations on a war footing and instructed ministers to travel to the district to personally oversee the efforts.
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
Minister Calls It A 'Man-Made' Disaster
Minister T Siddique alleged that the landslide was not a natural occurrence but the result of negligence, claiming that the district administration had previously flagged the landslide risk at the site in writing to Konkan Railways, which he said had failed to act.
He drew a comparison with the 2024 Mundakkai landslide that killed 298 people, calling the latest incident "a clear case of lapse."
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#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
A Region With A History Of Landslides
Wayanad, part of the Western Ghats, has repeatedly been identified as one of Kerala's most landslide-prone districts, having witnessed several deadly slope failures over the decades, including the 2024 Mundakkai tragedy and earlier incidents dating back to 1984.
Authorities have urged residents in vulnerable pockets to remain alert as the India Meteorological Department forecasts continued heavy rainfall over the region.
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