Wayanad landslide: Road connectivity restored, rescue operations intensify as search for missing continues

WAYANAD: Full road connectivity to the Kalladi landslide site in Wayanad has been restored, a critical development that authorities expect will significantly accelerate ongoing rescue efforts.

Kerala Agriculture Minister T Siddique confirmed that all roads blocked by the mudslide were cleared by 4 am on Wednesday, facilitating the smooth movement of heavy machinery, essential equipment, and specialised rescue teams to the disaster zone.

Siddique said that following the landslide that struck the tunnel construction site at approximately 11.15 am on Tuesday, three victims have been confirmed dead, while five others remain missing.

#WATCH | Keralam’s Wayanad landslide | Three people died and over nine are missing in the incident which occurred yesterday. Search and rescue operation is underway at the site amid heavy rainfall. Teams of NDRF, Police, Fire Department and other govt agencies are involved in the… pic.twitter.com/rS7cwwxZp7

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2026

“The traffic through the blocked roads due to the mudslide was completely cleared by 4 am today morning. It will help all activities, including transporting vehicles and equipment for the search operations, and the rescue efforts will be boosted in a very good manner,” Siddique said.

He said that the bodies of the three deceased have been transferred to Government Medical College, Kozhikode, for embalming. By noon today, they are scheduled to be transported by ambulance to Kochi Airport for transit to their respective native states.

“The bodies of the three people who died in this incident have been shifted from Taluka Hospital to Government Medical College, Kozhikode, and the embalming process is now going on. By around noon, the bodies will be shifted by ambulance to Kochi Airport, from where they will be flown to their respective native places,” the minister added.

#WATCH | S. Deva Manohar, District Police chief of Wayanad, says, “Rescue operation is going on, it is in full mode right now. We started very early. We have divided the zone into four sectors. We are concentrating on the missing people now. We recovered three bodies yesterday… https://t.co/CtbeNMZcxI pic.twitter.com/a5ZjWnGuaE

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2026

The rescue operation is being conducted in full mode, with agencies including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Rapid Response Force (RRF), and Fire and Rescue Services working in coordinated zones to locate the missing.

Two cadaver dogs are currently deployed at the site, with expectations for two or three additional dogs to arrive in the afternoon to assist in the search. The debris, which covers large sections of the worksite under 7 to 10 feet of mud, also buried a bus used to transport workers, though authorities confirmed the vehicle was empty at the time of the incident.

“The rescue effort is ongoing in full mode. We have our NDRF, RRF and Fire Force teams, and we are using the services of cadaver dogs also. The road towards the Chooralmala area is fully cleared and is vehicle-worthy. On both sides of the road, massive earth has piled up and we have to remove that mud,” District Police Chief of Wayanad S Deva Manohar reporters.

#WATCH | Keralam’s Wayanad landslide | Rescue operatiopn underway after four people died and over nine people are missing in the Wayanad landslide incident. Teams of NDRF, Police, Fire Department and other govt agencies are involved in the search and rescue mission. pic.twitter.com/f138drDLKp

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2026

“We are currently employing two cadaver dogs, and we are expecting two or three more dogs in the afternoon. We have recovered three bodies so far. We have received information that five more people are missing. We are concentrating on locating the missing people,” he added.

The landslide occurred within a 200-metre radius of the tunnel construction site, burying large sections of the worksite under 7 to 10 feet of mud and debris. Authorities have divided the rescue operation into four zones to ensure systematic searches.

According to officials, the first day’s operation involved 65 NDRF personnel, 100 police personnel, 158 Fire and Rescue Services and Civil Defence personnel, 52 workers from the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), besides volunteers and local residents. Two sniffer dogs and two cadaver dogs have also been deployed.

A bus used to transport workers remains buried under the debris, although authorities confirmed that no workers were inside the vehicle when the landslide occurred. A nearby house and a mosque close to Meenakshi Bridge also sustained damage.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Wayanad for Wednesday, forecasting heavy rainfall of 7 cm to 11 cm at isolated places. The weather department has also predicted widespread rain and thundershowers across Kerala and warned of strong surface winds of 40-50 kmph until July 9, posing additional challenges to rescue operations.

Police have registered a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), while investigation, identification of the victims and search operations continue. Relief camps remain operational for displaced families, and authorities have imposed traffic and public movement restrictions around the disaster zone to facilitate uninterrupted rescue efforts.

Notably, Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Tuesday said the collapse at the Wayanad tunnel construction site was an “unfortunate disaster” and alleged that contractors had failed to comply with repeated directions from the authorities to remove excavated soil, even after warnings from the District Disaster Management Authority. (ANI)