A labourer is feared dead and nine people were rescued while more were reportedly trapped as a portion of the earth caved in during heavy showers at Kalladi, Wayanad, on Tuesday. The incident happened at the construction site of the twin-tunnel project.
“Concrete works were underway, and a portion of the wall collapsed, probably due to heavy showers. Rescue operations are currently ongoing. We need to find out if more people are trapped under the debris,” said an official with the Wayanad DEOC (District Emergency Operations Centre).
According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), the debris accumulated due to excavation at the Wayanad – Kalladi tunnel work site slid down and blocked roads.
Rainfall in the area was 265 mm in 24 hours. The work on the site was stopped from Sunday. People who were moving around the site got hit by the debris, according to the KSDMA.
Visuals showed massive slush barrelling down the slope and getting scattered across the site, uprooting trees and hitting temporary work stations on its path. A group of men were found pulling out a labourer from the debris. The NDRF teams from Kozhikode and Wayanad are also being deployed for rescue operations.
Residents told the media that many vehicles and more people may have been trapped under the debris. Nine people — Hiran Kumar, Dileep, Sooraj Yadav, Sanjay Tapur, Rajanish, Thanmai Ghosh, Koodammal, Santhosh and Kunju — sustained injuries and were admitted to WIMS Hospital.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan held an emergency meeting with Agriculture Minister and Wayanad in-charge minister T Siddique. He has been directed to coordinate rescue operations. Revenue Minister A P Anilkumar and Siddique have left for Wayanad.
Minister T Siddique alleged that the incident resulted from the project’s unscientific construction. “According to hospital authorities, all the injured are in stable condition,” he added. “National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from Kozhikode and Wayanad have been deployed to assist in the rescue operations. Efforts are underway to ascertain whether anyone remains trapped under the debris. The District Collector has reached the site, while State Disaster Management Authority member Sekhar Kuriakose has been entrusted with coordinating the rescue operations. Fire and Rescue Services personnel have also been deployed,” Siddique added.
