Seconds Before Disaster: CCTV Captures Wayanad Horror, People Run For Life As Mudslide Sweeps Fuel Tanker

Wayanad: A devastating landslide struck near the Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi in Kerala's Wayanad district, killing at least one person, injuring seven others, and leaving another seven missing. 

The disaster occurred at the active site of the multi-crore Anakkompoyil–Meppadi twin-tunnel road project, designed to link Malappuram and Wayanad districts through the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.

Terrifying CCTV footage of the incident surfaced shortly after, capturing the horrifying moment the hillside violently caved in. 

In the videos, a massive wall of mud and water can be seen suddenly breaking loose from the slope due to torrential rains, aggressively tearing down trees and completely obliterating the metal and cloth construction barricades. 

Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan confirmed the casualties after convening an emergency meeting with disaster management authorities. 

While the region had been under a yellow alert following heavy downpours of nearly 225 mm, state officials pointed to operational negligence as a major factor, with some ministers labelling it a "man-made" disaster.

According to Chief Minister Satheesan, the Public Works Department and the District Collector had instructed the project contractors well in advance to safely clear the vast quantities of excavated earth piled up at the mouth of the tunnel site. 

"The soil there is mixed with mud and has a completely different texture. The scrap soil kept there was highly unstable. The disaster management authority examined the area and explicitly told the contractors to remove it. A failure to clear this soil caused this tragic mishap," the Chief Minister stated.

A massive rescue operation was launched immediately following the collapse. Residents were the first to respond, pulling three survivors from the mud before specialised units arrived. 

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue Services, and state police have deployed to search for the seven missing individuals feared trapped under the deep debris.

The tragic incident has sparked fresh anxiety across the state, occurring in the Meppady panchayat region, just four kilometres away from Chooralmala, which was ground zero for the catastrophic 2024 landslides that claimed hundreds of lives. 

Emergency teams continue to monitor the site closely amid ongoing rain and an overflowing local river.

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