The Eastern voice correspondent

Kerala. Relentless monsoon rains of over 260 mm triggered a massive debris slip at the under-construction Anakkampoyil–Kalladi–Meppadi twin-tunnel project in Wayanad, Kerala. A huge pile of excavation soil and blasted rock, which had been dumped unscientifically, collapsed, burying the tunnel entrance and destroying machinery.

The disaster claimed at least three lives, identified as migrant workers from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh, while seven others are still missing. State officials have called the incident a “man-made disaster,” blaming serious negligence by the contractor. The private builders reportedly ignored repeated warnings from the district administration to remove the unstable and dangerous scrap soil before the heavy monsoon began.

As the risk of further landslides continues, authorities have taken immediate safety measures. More than 140 residents from vulnerable families living near the site have been shifted to an emergency relief camp at the Meppadi Polytechnic campus.