Rescue teams continued their search on Wednesday for five people still missing after the devastating landslide at the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel construction site in Kerala's Wayanad district. Police have also registered a case of unnatural death as authorities begin a formal investigation into the tragedy.
The landslide struck the construction site amid heavy monsoon rains, killing at least three workers and injuring several others. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue Services, police, and other emergency agencies are conducting extensive search operations despite difficult weather and unstable terrain. Sniffer dogs and heavy earth-moving equipment have also been deployed to locate the missing workers.
Wayanad Superintendent of Police Devamanohar said an unnatural death case has been registered, and a detailed investigation will determine the circumstances that led to the landslide. The probe comes amid growing scrutiny over safety practices at the tunnel project and allegations that improper dumping of excavated earth may have contributed to the disaster.
The Kerala government has ordered parallel investigations into the incident, with officials examining both the cause of the landslide and whether environmental clearance conditions were violated during construction. State ministers have described the incident as a possible "man-made disaster," while the construction company has denied any negligence, maintaining that the landslide originated higher up the hill and not from the project site.
Authorities have suspended construction work until the investigations are completed and safety assessments are carried out. Rescue operations remain ongoing as officials hope to locate the missing workers and establish accountability for one of Kerala's most serious industrial disasters in recent months.
