Meppadi: Kerala Chief Minister has termed the landslide at the tunnel construction site in Meppadi, Wayanad, a tragic disaster, confirming that four people have died while seven others remain missing.
The Chief Minister said seven injured persons are undergoing treatment in hospital, while rescue operations are continuing despite heavy rain hampering efforts at the site.
He further stated that the Wayanad District Collector and the District Disaster Management Authority Manager had issued directions on June 20 to remove the accumulated soil from the area. However, the contractors allegedly failed to comply with the instructions, he said.
Meanwhile, Kerala Minister T. Siddique alleged that the landslide near Meenakshi Bridge was a man-made disaster. He said authorities are verifying whether anyone other than the workers remains trapped beneath the debris.
A 30-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed from Wayanad and Kozhikode to the accident site to assist in the ongoing rescue operations.
