Landslide at tunnel project in India’s Kerala leaves worker dead, several missing

A major rescue operation is underway in India’s southern state of Kerala after a landslide struck an under-construction tunnel project in Wayanad district, leaving one worker dead and several others reported missing.

The collapse occurred near Meppady at the Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel project after heavy rainfall battered the region. Authorities said debris from the construction site slid down a slope, burying part of the work area, several vehicles and workers at the site.

Local residents reportedly rescued three workers before emergency crews arrived, while multiple injured victims were transported to nearby hospitals. Rescue teams, including personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), continue searching for those still trapped beneath the rubble.

The incident has also sparked questions over the cause of the collapse. While heavy rainfall affected the area, Kerala officials are investigating whether the dumping of excavated soil from the tunnel project contributed to what some have described as a “man-made” landslide.

The tunnel forms part of the Kozhikode-Wayanad Twin Tunnel Project, an infrastructure development designed to improve connectivity between Kerala’s northern districts. The collapse occurred just a few kilometres from areas devastated by the deadly 2024 Wayanad landslides, which claimed hundreds of lives.

Authorities have launched an investigation as rescue and recovery efforts continue.

Video coverage of this incident is available on the BuzzinOnlineNews Instagram page (@buzzinonlinenews).