Published Jul 07, 2026 | 1:29 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 09, 2026 | 9:21 AM
Rescue workers are racing against time to find the missing people. (Supplied)
Synopsis: A soil piping incident triggered by incessant heavy rainfall struck the twin-tunnel construction site in Wayanad left three dead and several others injured. Rescue teams, including the NDRF, are continuing search operations amid fears that more people remain trapped beneath the debris.
A soil piping incident triggered by incessant heavy rainfall struck the twin-tunnel construction site near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi in Meppadi of the Wayanad district in Kerala on Tuesday, 7 July, killing three people and triggering a massive rescue operation.
Eighteen people were rescued and shifted to the hospital, while at least five others are feared trapped beneath the debris. Those rescued have been identified as Hira Kumar (32), Dileep (19), Sooraj Yadav (25), Sanjay Thakur (35), Rajnish (27), Thanmai Ghosh (28), Koopamal (37), Kunju (39)and Santhosh Kumar.
Those reported missing are construction manager Vikram Rana (Himachal Pradesh), engineer Rahul (Himachal Pradesh), excavator operator Mohammed Imran (Bihar), and surveyors Rakesh Guchait (West Bengal) and Azharuddin Ansari (Uttar Pradesh).
By evening, the postmortem examinations were completed. The three deceased were guest (migrant) workers. The postmortem was conducted at Vythiri Taluk Hospital after a police surgeon was urgently deputed from Sulthan Bathery Taluk Hospital to expedite the procedures.
The deceased have been identified as operator Chandra Bhan from Madhya Pradesh, civil foreman Bikash Kumar from Bihar and labourer Anmol of Jharkhand.
Two of the nine injured persons admitted to Meppadi WIMS Hospital have been discharged. Two others are under intensive care.
A control room has been opened at the Meppadi Community Health Centre, while ambulances and medical teams have been stationed at the disaster site round the clock.
Health Department and 108 ambulances are continuing to support the rescue operation.
The district administration opened a relief camp at Chulikka Government Lower Primary School and shifted residents living near the area.
As many as 142 people from 42 families have been shifted to the relief camp at Meppadi Polytechnic, where medical services have been arranged.
Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister VD Satheesan blamed contractors for the accident. Agriculture Minister T Siddique, in charge of the Wayanad district, termed it a man-made disaster.
The incident occurred around 11.30 am on Tuesday when a large volume of debris accumulated during excavation gave way, sending mud and slush cascading down the slope.
The collapse buried parts of the tunnel work site, blocked roads and raised fears that workers and motorists may have been caught under the debris.
According to officials at the Wayanad District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC), concrete works were underway when a portion of the retaining wall collapsed, likely due to heavy rainfall.
Rescue teams are continuing search operations to determine whether more people remain trapped.
The Meppadi Sub-Inspector also sustained injuries during the rescue operation and has been admitted to the hospital.
Also Read: Will Wayanad tunnel road spell doom?
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said the debris accumulated following an excavation at the Wayanad-Kalladi tunnel work site slid down and blocked roads.
Officials said work had been suspended since Monday due to heavy rain, but people moving around the area were hit by the slide.
A person trapped in mud.
Five people who were struck by the debris were rescued and admitted to the hospital. Authorities later confirmed one death, while the exact number of people trapped is still being verified.
Visuals from the site showed thick slush barrelling down the hillside, uprooting trees and engulfing temporary work stations. Residents also expressed concern that vehicles crossing the nearby bridge at the time of the collapse may have been buried under the debris.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from Meenangadi and Kozhikode, Fire and Rescue Services, the Revenue Rapid Response Team (RRT), police and district administration officials have been deployed for the rescue operation.
Chief Minister VD Satheesan convened an emergency meeting and directed officials to ensure coordinated rescue efforts.
He also spoke to the Wayanad District Collector over the phone and instructed Revenue Minister AP Anilkumar and Agriculture Minister Siddique to reach the scene and oversee rescue and relief operations.
Also Read: A Kerala tunnel road project at a crossroads
Meanwhile, ministers said preliminary assessments indicated that the soil piping was caused by human intervention rather than a natural phenomenon.
Preliminary assessments indicated that the soil piping was caused by human intervention rather than a natural phenomenon.
Soil piping — also known as tunnel erosion — is the formation of underground tunnels due to subsurface soil erosion. When the tunnel grows bigger and bigger, the roof collapses, and subsidence occurs.
Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Siddique said the soil piping was “man-made” and not a natural disaster. He alleged that the incident occurred due to unscientific accumulation of soil during tunnel construction.
The minister said authorities had earlier issued instructions to halt construction activities during the rainy season and had also warned against carrying out such works under adverse weather conditions.
However, he noted that satisfactory action was not taken despite the warnings.
The scene of accident.
Siddique said the exact number of people injured is yet to be confirmed. He added that six injured people are currently undergoing treatment at MIMS Hospital, while two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed at the site.
Rescue personnel are conducting urgent searches to determine whether more people remain trapped or injured.
Anilkumar said complete information about the incident is still awaited as rescue efforts are underway. He said the immediate priority is the removal of soil and debris to facilitate rescue operations.
The minister also reiterated that directions had previously been issued to stop construction work in the area.
MLA IC Balakrishnan, Wayanad District Panchayat President Chandrika Krishnan, District Collector DR Meghasree and public representatives have reached the spot.
Rescue and relief operations are continuing, and officials said further details, including the extent of casualties and damage, will be known after the ongoing search progresses. The rescue operation is being carried out under the leadership of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire Force, Police, Forest officials and locals.
Also Read: Will Silkyara tunnel collapse force Kerala to rethink its planned underpass?
Public entry to the disaster-hit area in Wayanad has been strictly prohibited as search operations continue for five people who remain missing, Minister Siddique said.
The minister said the search is being carried out with the utmost care, with authorities intensifying efforts to trace the missing people.
To improve the efficiency of the operation, the affected area has been divided into four zones, with dedicated inspection teams deployed in each sector.
“The mission is continuing by utilising all available possibilities to find survivors. Additional mission teams will join the operations from tomorrow,” Siddique said.
The minister also said 23 families are currently staying in relief camps, where all essential facilities have been arranged.
Special attention is being given to the needs of children in the camps.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Satheesan is scheduled to visit the disaster site on Wednesday, 8 July, to review the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
With rains continuing in Wayanad, authorities have imposed a complete restriction on public entry into the disaster zone for safety reasons.
Traffic through the affected stretch has also been suspended, and officials said urgent measures are underway to restore road connectivity at the earliest.
Vineesh M, a resident and eyewitness, told South First that the incident occurred around 11.30 am.
A building that was damaged in the incident.
“Several workers are feared missing, while five people have been shifted to the hospital. Wayanad has been witnessing continuous heavy rainfall since Monday night,” he said.
Dr Vishnudas, from the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology, Wayanad, told South First that the incident was not a landslide but a case of soil piping in the tunnel project area.
“According to our measurements, the region received 221 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, making it the highest rainfall recorded this season. Wayanad was under an orange alert yesterday, and we are currently assessing the situation in detail,” he said.
According to the KSDMA, the area received around 265 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, resulting in the excavation debris becoming unstable before sliding onto the road and the work site.
According to the district administration, the presence of labour camps near the accident site is a matter of concern, as they fear that the debris might have fallen on these camps.
Meanwhile, the district administration also started an Emergency Operation Centre at the Wayanad Collectorate. People are urged to contact the toll-free number 1077 and 04936-204151.
Also Read: Rains and repercussions add to Kerala monsoon woes
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Wayanad and Kozhikode on 7 July, warning of extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 204.4 mm in 24 hours.
Agriculture Minister T Siddique and Revenue Minister AP Anilkumar at the scene on Tuesday night.
Orange alert has been sounded for Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod, while several central Kerala districts remain under yellow alert.
The fresh warning came as rescue operations continued at the soil piping incident in Wayanad, raising concerns that intense rainfall could hamper ongoing efforts and increase the risk of soil piping and flash floods in vulnerable hill areas.
The KSDMA has urged residents in landslide-prone and low-lying areas to remain on high alert and shift to safer locations if advised by authorities.
The public has also been asked to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from rivers, waterfalls and hilly tourist destinations, and exercise caution due to the possibility of strong winds, flooding and falling trees.
All efforts are on to rescue those still trapped in the landslide. Respected CM, Shri. V D Satheesan is monitoring relief efforts himself, the police and NDRF have been at the site for some time, SDRF teams and civil defence volunteers have also reached.
We are all coordinating…
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 7, 2026
The Wayanad district administration has stepped up emergency preparedness measures following IMD’s red alert, placing officials on high alert as heavy rain continues across the region.
District Collector has invoked provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, directing the suspension of all quarrying operations until further orders. Tourist destinations, including homestays located in disaster-prone areas, adventure tourism centres, trekking activities and machine-assisted earth removal have also been stopped to minimise the risk to public safety.
Authorities have also initiated precautionary evacuation measures in areas vulnerable to landslides and flooding. In the Kallady–Anakkampoyil Tunnel Road corridor and the Mundakkai–Chooralmala disaster-affected region, the Meppadi Grama Panchayat Secretary and the Vellarimala Village Officer have been entrusted with jointly coordinating evacuations wherever required, under the supervision of the Joint Director of the Local Self-Government Department.
Similar arrangements have been made for landslide-prone areas in the Wayanad township, where the Kalpetta Municipal Secretary and Village Officer will coordinate relief measures with township authorities.
The administration has further instructed local self-government institutions, Revenue officials and the Education Department to shift residents from flood- and landslide-prone locations to safer shelters without delay.
As part of the precautionary measures, a holiday has been declared on 8 July for religious classes, tuition centres, special classes and professional colleges in Vythiri taluk. However, residential educational institutions are exempted from the order. Schools functioning as relief camps will remain closed until further notice.
The district administration has warned that strict legal action under Section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, will be initiated against anyone violating the emergency directives.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil).
