- Kerala landslide killed five, three missing, seven injured.
- Ministers allege negligence, ignored warnings regarding excavated soil.
- Company denies negligence as rescue, police investigation continues.
At least five people were killed and three others remain missing after a massive landslide struck the Meppadi-Kalladi tunnel construction site in Kerala’s Wayanad district on Tuesday.
Seven injured people are undergoing treatment in hospital, while rescue teams continue to search for those trapped beneath the debris using heavy machinery, sniffer dogs and other equipment.
Kerala Ministers Call It A ‘Man-Made’ Disaster
The incident has triggered a political and administrative row, with Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Agriculture Minister T. Siddiqui alleging that the tragedy was caused by human negligence rather than natural factors.
The ministers said the collapse resulted from the accumulation of excavated soil and debris near the tunnel project without following proper safety and technical procedures.
According to them, the district administration and the Public Works Department had previously instructed the construction company to remove the debris, but the directions were allegedly ignored.
They further claimed that eight nearby families had also been advised to shift to safer locations, but the warning was not acted upon.
Construction Company Rejects Allegations
The construction company denied the allegations levelled by the state ministers.
It said the tunnel project was being executed in compliance with all engineering, safety and environmental standards and maintained that there were no technical shortcomings on its part that could have caused the accident.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, following a meeting with officials of the Kerala State Sand Mines Management Authority (KSDMA), said contractors had been warned in advance to remove the accumulated debris but failed to do so.
Rescue Operations Continue
Officials said rescue operations would continue through the night as teams searched for the missing workers.
Meppadi Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the incident.
The landslide occurred near Meenakshi Bridge in Kalladi, where construction is underway for the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi Tunnel Project.
Heavy Rain Triggered Collapse
Preliminary investigations indicate that continuous heavy rainfall caused a massive mound of excavated soil to give way, burying a large section of the construction site.
Officials said Meppadi recorded 226 mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours, leading to the mudslide.
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