KALPETTA: Rescue operations entered their second consecutive day on Wednesday as emergency responders continued searching for five missing individuals trapped under debris following a massive landslide at a tunnel road construction site in Kerala’s Wayanad district. The tragic incident has claimed the lives of three workers so far. Wayanad Superintendent of Police Devamanohar confirmed that the police have registered an official case of unnatural death in connection with the disaster and initiated a comprehensive legal investigation into the matter.
To expedite the rescue mission, specialized cadaver dogs, personnel from the State Fire and Rescue Services, and dedicated teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed across the landslide site. The affected zone near the tunnel portal has been divided into four strategic sectors to systematically organize the ground search. Additionally, rescue teams are actively searching downstream stretches of the nearby river where victims might have been swept away. While the crucial access road leading towards Chooralmala has been successfully cleared for emergency vehicles, authorities stated that large-scale earth removal from the core landslide area will commence only after the life-search operations conclude.
A political and administrative controversy has also erupted over the cause of the disaster. The State government on Tuesday termed the incident a “man-made disaster”, alleging that vast amounts of mud excavated during tunnel work had been left uncleared despite explicit warnings and directions from the district administration and Public Works Department Minister P K Basheer. However, the general manager of the private construction firm firmly rejected the allegations, claiming the landslide originated well above their designated project site. He emphasized that the primary slip did not occur on land allotted to the company and denied that stored mud was responsible for the tragedy. Wayanad District Collector Meghashree D R declined to comment on the contractor’s claims.
Meanwhile, an official involved in the ongoing rescue operations noted that while the initial mudslide originated higher up the slope, the heavy accumulation of excavated soil below significantly compounded the volume and destructive intensity of the debris flow. Persistent, heavy rainfall in the region continues to pose severe operational challenges for rescuers on the ground. The three deceased workers have been identified as Chandraban, a machine operator from Madhya Pradesh; Bikash Kumar, a civil foreman from Bihar; and Anmol, a worker from Jharkhand—all of whom were migrant workers. Seven injured workers remain under medical treatment at the Meppadi WIMS Hospital. Chief Minister V D Satheesan is expected to conduct an on-site visit to review the situation on Wednesday.
ലഘു വിവരണം
വയനാട് കള്ളാടി തുരങ്കപാത നിർമ്മാണ മേഖലയിലുണ്ടായ മണ്ണിടിച്ചിലിൽ കാണാതായ അഞ്ച് പേർക്കായുള്ള തെരച്ചിൽ രണ്ടാം ദിവസമായ ബുധനാഴ്ചയും തുടരുന്നു. ദുരന്തത്തിൽ മൂന്ന് ഇതരസംസ്ഥാന തൊഴിലാളികൾ മരണപ്പെടുകയും ഏഴ് പേർക്ക് പരിക്കേൽക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. സംഭവത്തിൽ അസ്വാഭാവിക മരണത്തിന് പോലീസും കേസെടുത്തിട്ടുണ്ട്. അധികൃതരുടെ നിർദ്ദേശം അവഗണിച്ച് കമ്പനി മണ്ണ് കുന്ന് കൂട്ടിയതാണ് അപകട കാരണമെന്ന് സർക്കാർ കുറ്റപ്പെടുത്തിയെങ്കിലും, മണ്ണൊലിപ്പ് ഉണ്ടായത് നിർമ്മാണ സ്ഥലത്തിന് മുകളിലാണെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞ് കമ്പനി ഇത് നിഷേധിച്ചു. മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി വി.ഡി. സതീശൻ സ്ഥലം സന്ദർശിക്കും.
(With inputs from PTI)
For more details: Navamalayalam.com