- Massive landslide struck Kalladi tunnel project in Wayanad.
- Three dead, seven injured, seven missing in incident.
- Minister calls it "man-made" due to construction lapses.
A massive landslide struck the Kalladi tunnel project site in Kerala's Wayanad district on Tuesday. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, showing a mound of mud from a hillside collapsing within seconds near Meenakshi Bridge.
The pile of mud, mixed with rainwater, flows onto the road and a bridge as people desperately run for safety.
The flow of the landslide debris was so intense that it pushed a tanker towards the other side of the road. The tanker stopped only after it crashed into a parked jeep.
The mudslide swept out many people, who were swept away. Three of them had a narrow escape after the raging mud slowed down.
The CCTV footage shows an eyewitness yelling, "Run fast, friends. Take a photo." The mudslide reportedly pushed a bus too, which was used to ferry workers to the tunnel construction site.
VIDEO | Kerala: Landslide near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, where work on a tunnel road project connecting Malappuram and Wayanad districts was going on. One killed, seven injured, another seven missing, says Kerala CM V D Satheesan. CCTV visuals of the incident.#KeralaNews… pic.twitter.com/4tUkNZCUz7
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 7, 2026
Visuals from after the disaster showed the bridge and the nearby areas completely covered by huge layers of mud. As per the latest information, three people have died in the incident while several were injured. At least seven people are missing.
A search and rescue operation is underway for those trapped under the debris. An FIR has been registered over the incident that occurred between 11 am and 11.30 am.
Kerala govt calls it man-made landslide
Kerala's Agriculture Minister T Siddique termed the disaster a 'Man-made landslide' rather than a natural one. He said that the landslide was caused by lapses at the tunnel construction site.
“It is not a natural landslide, but a man-made landslide. It is a clear case of lapse. Six people are seriously injured, and they are admitted to the hospital. Their condition is stable. We will continue search and rescue at the site in Kalladi. The District Collector had given in writing to Konkan Railways regarding the chance of a landslide at the site,” Siddique was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.
Kerala CM VD Satheesan held an emergency meeting with Siddique and issued directions to the officials to coordinate rescue operation without delay.