Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Tuesday directed authorities to intensify rescue and relief efforts after a landslide struck the Kalladi tunnel project site in Wayanad, where several workers are feared trapped beneath debris.

According to officials, the Chief Minister chaired an emergency meeting with ministers from the district and instructed that rescue operations be carried out on a war footing. He also asked Ministers A P Anil Kumar and T Siddique to travel to Wayanad and personally supervise the ongoing efforts.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said debris from an excavation at the tunnel construction site slid downhill, blocking nearby roads and affecting the work area.

Five people were injured after being struck by the falling debris and were shifted to a hospital. Officials confirmed that no deaths had been reported at the time of filing the report.

Residents in the area said heavy earth-moving equipment would be needed to clear the accumulated soil before an extensive search operation could begin.

The KSDMA noted that work on the tunnel project had already been suspended since Monday. It added that the injured individuals were present near the construction site when the landslide occurred.

The authority also reported that the region received 265 mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours, which may have contributed to the incident.

The Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel project, designed to improve connectivity between Malappuram and Wayanad districts, commenced last year.

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Fire and Rescue Services personnel said rescue teams were searching for workers believed to be trapped under the debris. The district administration has deployed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), directing the unit stationed at Meenangadi to immediately reach the site, while an additional team from Kozhikode has also been dispatched to support the rescue mission.