Search and rescue teams on Thursday (July 9, 2026) recovered four more bodies from the site of the devastating debris collapse in Kerala’s Wayanad, bringing the confirmed death toll to seven so far.

Two of the deceased have been identified as Rahul Sharma, an engineer from Himachal Pradesh, and Mohammad Imran, an excavator operator from Bihar.

​After the completion of the post-mortem examinations at the Vythiri Taluk Hospital, the two bodies will be shifted to the Kozhikode Government Medical College for embalming. Authorities have also confirmed that the bodies will subsequently be repatriated to their respective home States.

The recoveries were made during the third day of intensive operations following Tuesday’s disaster near the Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, where heavy, relentless rainfall triggered a severe soil piping incident and a massive collapse of earth at the construction site of the proposed Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi twin-tube tunnel road.

At present, one person still remain missing, with National Disaster Response Force personnel, State Fire and Rescue Services, and local authorities continuing the search operations.

Meanwhile, seven injured workers are still receiving treatment at a hospital, with several remaining in intensive care.

​The State government has strongly criticised the handling of the project, describing the tragedy as a “man-made disaster” and alleging that unscientific, hazardous mud accumulation by contractors worsened the impact of the debris slip.

The police have officially registered a case of unnatural death, and the State Cabinet has ordered two separate high-level inquiries to investigate potential safety violations and ensure strict compliance with environmental clearances.

Published - July 09, 2026 09:50 am IST