The death toll from the July 7 landslide at a tunnel construction site in Kerala’s Wayanad district has reached eight after rescuers recovered the body of the last missing person, construction manager Vikram Rana, on Sunday.
Rana, 58, a resident of Thakoli-Girthan village in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, was found around 11:30 am near the Meenakshi River, about 350 meters downstream from the Meenakshi bridge. His body was identified by relatives and taken to Vythiri Taluk Hospital for postmortem, with plans to transport it to Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital for embalming before repatriation.
Intensified search operations in Wayanad
After five days of unsuccessful efforts, authorities escalated the search on Sunday, deploying the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Special Operations Group, Fire and Rescue Services, and local volunteers. Kerala Agriculture Minister T. Siddique divided the search area into sectors, with teams combing riverbanks and upper reaches based on CCTV footage and worker accounts.
Traffic on the Meppadi-Chooralmala road was restricted from 8 am to noon to aid the operation. State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar reviewed rescue efforts and met with Minister Siddique. Officials confirmed that all missing individuals have now been accounted for, ending the search for survivors.
Next steps after Wayanad landslide recovery
An expert team is expected to assess the disaster and begin clearing the accumulated earth that triggered the landslide. Work to reopen the affected road will commence shortly. Authorities will decide on formally concluding the operation after consulting all agencies involved.
