Video: Miraculous escape for bystanders as landslide sweeps fuel tanker in Wayanad
Wayanad: The landslide, which struck near Meenakshi Bridge following incessant rainfall, has claimed at least three lives, injured eight people and left seven workers missing, officials said.
A chilling CCTV footage of a massive landslide in Kerala's Wayanad has captured the terrifying moment when tonnes of mud, rocks and debris came crashing down near the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi twin tunnel project.
The visuals show a thick wave of slush suddenly tearing through the hillside, uprooting trees and swallowing the area within seconds. Several people can be seen rushing to safety as the debris races downhill. In a close shave, pedestrians narrowly escaped moments after the force of the landslide swept away a fuel tanker parked at the site.
The landslide, which struck near Meenakshi Bridge following incessant rainfall, has claimed at least three lives, injured eight people and left seven workers missing, officials said.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority recorded 265 mm of rainfall in the region in 24 hours — the highest rainfall recorded this season — triggering fears of further landslides in the area.
The affected site is located close to Mundakkai, which witnessed one of Kerala's deadliest landslides in 2024. With houses and homestays located around the area, authorities fear more people could be trapped under the debris.
'MAN-MADE DISASTER'
Kerala Agriculture Minister T Siddique described the incident as a "man-made disaster", alleging that the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, which is executing the twin tunnel project, was responsible for the situation.
Upon completion, the Anakkampoyil-Meppadi will be the longest road tunnel in Kerala, and the third-longest in India.
"This is not a natural landslide. This is a man-made landslide. This occurred due to an unscientific way of accumulating mud there," Siddique said.
Meanwhile, rescue teams are currently engaged in search operations as authorities assess the extent of damage. Earlier, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said efforts to rescue those trapped were on a war footing.
"At a time like this, we need to ensure that relief and rescue efforts are not hampered, and we ensure all possible help without causing any distractions," Gandhi said.
WHY IS WAYANAD PRONE TO LANDSLIDES?
The hilly terrain of Wayanad is no stranger to such massive landslides. In fact, Wayanad is the most susceptible district to landslides in all of Kerala. It also falls under Zone III for seismic activity.
The scars of the 2024 devastation are still fresh. A series of landslides struck Chooralmala, Mundakkai and Punchirimattom, erasing entire hamlets from Kerala's map. Officially, the government claimed 298 lives were lost. However, locals said the toll was much higher.
Over the decades, Wayanad has been wrecked by multiple such tragedies, such as the Mundakkai landslide in 1984, the Kappikkalam landslide in 1992 (11 deaths) and the Valamthode tragedy in June 2007.
A chilling CCTV footage of a massive landslide in Kerala's Wayanad has captured the terrifying moment when tonnes of mud, rocks and debris came crashing down near the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi twin tunnel project.
The visuals show a thick wave of slush suddenly tearing through the hillside, uprooting trees and swallowing the area within seconds. Several people can be seen rushing to safety as the debris races downhill. In a close shave, pedestrians narrowly escaped moments after the force of the landslide swept away a fuel tanker parked at the site.
The landslide, which struck near Meenakshi Bridge following incessant rainfall, has claimed at least three lives, injured eight people and left seven workers missing, officials said.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority recorded 265 mm of rainfall in the region in 24 hours — the highest rainfall recorded this season — triggering fears of further landslides in the area.
The affected site is located close to Mundakkai, which witnessed one of Kerala's deadliest landslides in 2024. With houses and homestays located around the area, authorities fear more people could be trapped under the debris.
'MAN-MADE DISASTER'
Kerala Agriculture Minister T Siddique described the incident as a "man-made disaster", alleging that the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, which is executing the twin tunnel project, was responsible for the situation.
Upon completion, the Anakkampoyil-Meppadi will be the longest road tunnel in Kerala, and the third-longest in India.
"This is not a natural landslide. This is a man-made landslide. This occurred due to an unscientific way of accumulating mud there," Siddique said.
Meanwhile, rescue teams are currently engaged in search operations as authorities assess the extent of damage. Earlier, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said efforts to rescue those trapped were on a war footing.
"At a time like this, we need to ensure that relief and rescue efforts are not hampered, and we ensure all possible help without causing any distractions," Gandhi said.
WHY IS WAYANAD PRONE TO LANDSLIDES?
The hilly terrain of Wayanad is no stranger to such massive landslides. In fact, Wayanad is the most susceptible district to landslides in all of Kerala. It also falls under Zone III for seismic activity.
The scars of the 2024 devastation are still fresh. A series of landslides struck Chooralmala, Mundakkai and Punchirimattom, erasing entire hamlets from Kerala's map. Officially, the government claimed 298 lives were lost. However, locals said the toll was much higher.
Over the decades, Wayanad has been wrecked by multiple such tragedies, such as the Mundakkai landslide in 1984, the Kappikkalam landslide in 1992 (11 deaths) and the Valamthode tragedy in June 2007.
