Wayanad Weather: IMD Issues Red Alert As Tourist Town Hit By Landslide

The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Wayanad at 12.30 pm on Tuesday as heavy rain continued to batter parts of northern Kerala, even as a landslide at the Kalladi tunnel project site in the district killed one person and left seven others missing. Seven injured persons have been admitted to hospitals, officials said.

The landslide was reported around 11 am near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi. A red alert was also issued for neighbouring Kozhikode, while Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod were placed under orange alerts amid continuing rain warnings across northern Kerala.

Wayanad landslide hits tunnel project site
The landslide occurred at a site where work was underway on a tunnel road project intended to connect Malappuram and Wayanad districts. According to officials, there were no labourers working at the exact spot when the slope gave way. Those feared trapped under the mud were believed to be engineers and security staff present at the project site.

A senior government official said the casualty count could have been higher if construction activity had been in progress. "If work was going on there, it would have been a bigger tragedy," the official told reporters, referring to the absence of workers at the site when the landslide struck.

Visuals from the area showed the force of the slide pushing a private bus, reportedly used to transport workers, into a nearby river. The vehicle was seen lying half submerged as water flowed through it. The incident has raised immediate concerns over slope stability, drainage and the handling of excavated material at infrastructure sites in Kerala's hill regions.

A landslide at the Kalladi tunnel work site in #Wayanad blocked the road and injured 5 people. They have been taken to the hospital. No deaths have been reported. Work at the site had already been stopped because of heavy rain. The area received 265 mm of rain in the last 24… pic.twitter.com/3LrpPhR0gM

— Ashish (@KP_Aashish) July 7, 2026

Red alert in Wayanad, Kozhikode as rain intensifies
The IMD's red alert indicates the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 204 mm in 24 hours. An orange alert points to very heavy rain between 115 mm and 204 mm, while a yellow alert signals heavy rainfall between 64 mm and 115 mm. These warnings are used by district administrations to prepare for flooding, landslides and evacuation needs.

Rainfall data available during the day showed that Mananthavady received 64 mm of rain, while Vythiri recorded 123 mm. Vythiri's figure fell in the very heavy rainfall category, while Mananthavady touched the threshold for heavy rain. Officials said rainfall before the incident was intense, although it had reduced later in the day.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan said after reviewing the situation with officials of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority that the immediate priority was to locate the missing and move people from vulnerable areas. Police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel were already at the site, while additional rescue support was being mobilised.

Satheesan said a defence force stationed at Thrissur was ready for deployment if required. He added that all necessary systems for search and rescue would be put in place as quickly as possible. Rescue operations, however, remained difficult because of the terrain, wet soil and intermittent rainfall in the area.

Questions over mud removal at Kalladi site
The Chief Minister said the landslide was not caused by the absence of a weather alert. He linked the incident to a large quantity of mud that had accumulated at the project area. According to him, the contractor had been instructed in advance by Public Works Department Minister P K Basheer and the District Collector to remove the mud.

"However, the contractors did not abide by the directions," Satheesan said, calling the incident unfortunate. His comments have shifted attention to site management at the tunnel project, particularly whether loose earth, excavated soil and slope protection measures were handled in line with safety directions issued by the authorities.

Such concerns are especially serious in Wayanad, where heavy monsoon rain can quickly destabilise slopes. Construction activity in hilly terrain often requires strict controls on cutting, debris disposal, drainage and retaining structures. When soil is left exposed or waterlogged, the risk of sudden slope failure can rise sharply during intense rainfall.

Authorities have not yet announced a detailed technical assessment of the Kalladi site. For now, rescue teams are focused on clearing debris, locating missing persons and ensuring that nearby residents are moved away from areas considered unsafe. Further action against the contractor may depend on official findings from the site inspection.

Evacuations begin in vulnerable areas
People living close to the landslide zone are being evacuated as a precaution. District officials are expected to monitor rainfall, stream levels and soil movement through the night, particularly in settlements near slopes, riverbanks and road-cutting zones. Wayanad's geography makes localised warnings important because conditions can vary sharply between nearby areas.

The red alert in Kozhikode and orange alerts in Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod also mean local administrations may restrict travel through vulnerable hill roads if rainfall continues. Residents in affected districts are usually advised to avoid unnecessary journeys, stay away from riverbanks and follow evacuation instructions from local authorities.

The Kalladi landslide has again underlined the risk faced by Kerala's hill districts during intense rain, especially around infrastructure projects that alter natural slopes. With one death confirmed, seven injured and seven still missing, the focus remains on rescue operations and preventing further harm in nearby vulnerable areas.

With inputs from PTI