Kalladi Landslide: Death Toll Rises to Seven as More Bodies Recovered

Meppadi: Four more bodies were recovered from the Kalladi landslide disaster site in Wayanad on Thursday, taking the death toll to seven.

Five construction workers had gone missing in the landslide. The bodies of three migrant workers who were killed in the accident had earlier been embalmed at Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode and handed over to the tunnel construction company. The bodies were flown to their native places on Wednesday night.

A 162-member team drawn from various rescue forces, along with volunteers, is carrying out search operations across four sectors. Two cadaver dogs have also been deployed. Rescue personnel are removing accumulated silt along the banks of the Meenakshi River to continue the search and are also examining the remains of containers that were washed into the river. Mud deposited on the bridge was cleared early on Wednesday. Strict traffic restrictions have been imposed on the Meppadi–Chooralmala road, while mounds of excavated soil remaining at the project site continue to pose a threat.

Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan and M V Govindan visited the disaster site on Thursday morning. Pinarayi reached Kalladi at around 9.30 am. He was accompanied by M V Jayarajan, K Rafeeq and C K Saseendran.

The Opposition Leader visited the landslide site and the nearby stretch of the Meenakshi River where search operations were continuing. He interacted with rescue personnel and officials before visiting the relief camp at the Meppadi Polytechnic, where around 50 families are staying. He met estate workers and local residents at the camp and also spoke to Balraj and Kudammal, the couple who miraculously survived the landslide.