The NDRF has cautioned about the risk of further slides, and an expert team is set to inspect the site to determine the exact cause of the collapse.
Published Oct 26, 2025 | 10:50 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 26, 2025 | 10:50 AM
The tragedy struck Laksham Veedu Colony near the Kochi–Dhanushkodi NH when a massive mudslide engulfed the home of Biju and his wife Sandhya.
Synopsis: A landslide in Admali of the Idukki district left one dead and another grievously injured. Residents alleged that the landslide was triggered by reckless hill cutting and soil removal carried out by the NHAI as part of a road-widening project. They said their repeated warnings about developing cracks in the area were ignored.
Unscientific land excavation by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been blamed for yet another landslide that shook Kerala late at night on Saturday, 25 October, leaving one dead and another grievously injured in Adimali in the Idukki district.
The tragedy struck around 10.30 pm at Laksham Veedu Colony near the Kochi–Dhanushkodi NH when a massive mudslide engulfed the home of Biju and his wife Sandhya. The couple, who had returned briefly to collect some documents after earlier evacuations, were trapped beneath the concrete remains of their house as tonnes of mud came crashing down.
Rescue teams from the Fire and Rescue Services, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and police, along with residents, battled through the night under heavy rain and unstable terrain. Using excavators and electric cutters, they painstakingly cleared the debris in a gruelling seven-hour operation that concluded around 5.30 am on Sunday.
Sandhya was pulled out alive around 3 am with one leg wedged between concrete slabs. Her husband, Biju, was found pinned under a collapsed beam and an almirah. Though he was rushed to Adimali Taluk Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
Officials said the couple was trapped between heavy concrete beams, making the rescue extremely challenging. Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine, Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, and senior district officials reached the site during the operation.
The collapsed house.
Residents alleged that the landslide was triggered by reckless hill cutting and soil removal carried out by the NHAI as part of a road-widening project. They said their repeated warnings about developing cracks in the area were ignored.
A 50-foot-high section of the hill eventually gave way, destroying multiple homes and damaging power lines.
Authorities confirmed that a major disaster was averted, as 22 families from the area had been evacuated earlier following warnings of soil movement. However, the couple’s return proved fatal.
Preliminary reports suggest at least eight houses suffered severe damage, with the interiors filled with mud. The NDRF has cautioned about the risk of further slides, and an expert team is set to inspect the site to determine the exact cause of the collapse.
Speaking to the media, Minister Augustine, who represents the Idukki constituency, addressed concerns over alleged unscientific activities by the NHAI.
“We need the national highway, but sadly, an accident occurred. We had issued timely alerts and evacuated families from vulnerable areas. Unfortunately, this couple returned home and got trapped in the landslide. Thankfully, the rain was not heavy, which made the rescue possible and helped save one life,” he said.
Earlier, in June, Thrissur District Collector Arjun Pandian had warned that strict legal action would be taken against NHAI and its contractors if accidents occurred due to safety lapses on NH 544. The warning came after the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) reported that ongoing construction works along the highway violated safety norms, and previous directives had been ignored.
In May, NHAI attributed the collapse of a section of NH-66 in Malappuram to heavy rain, denying any unscientific construction practices.
Around the same time, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and Alappuzha MP KC Venugopal urged Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to convene a high-level meeting to discuss the growing number of accidents on Kerala’s national highways.
Despite the warnings and official statements, lives continue to be lost — sometimes in a single night of rain and neglect.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
