At least six people have been confirmed dead and two tea estate workers remain missing following a devastating landslide in Wayanad district, Kerala, on July 9, 2026. The disaster struck the Puthumala region, a hilly area known for its tea plantations, after incessant heavy rainfall over the past 48 hours triggered a massive mudslide that buried several houses and workers' quarters.
Details of the Incident
The landslide occurred around 3:00 AM local time, catching residents off guard as they slept. The area hit is a cluster of temporary shelters and permanent homes housing workers from the nearby tea estates. According to district officials, the death toll rose to six by noon as rescue teams retrieved more bodies from the debris. The missing workers are believed to be trapped under the rubble.
Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) confirmed that over 50 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with local police and fire services, are engaged in search and rescue operations. A team of dog squads has also been deployed to locate survivors.
Rescue Efforts Underway
“We are facing challenging terrain and continuous rainfall, but our teams are working tirelessly to locate the missing persons,” said a senior NDRF official on site. “We have recovered six bodies so far, and efforts are concentrated on the area where the workers’ quarters were located.”
The district administration has set up a relief camp in a nearby school, accommodating over 200 displaced residents. Medical teams are on standby to provide emergency care. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed condolences and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
Impact and Response
The landslide has damaged several roads, cutting off access to some remote villages in the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Wayanad and neighboring districts, predicting more heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours, raising concerns of further landslides.
Local authorities have urged residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations. The state government has mobilized additional resources, including helicopters for aerial surveys, to assess the extent of the damage. The missing workers are from the tea estate, and their families are being provided with counseling.
This tragedy highlights the recurring vulnerability of Kerala’s hilly regions to landslides during the monsoon season. In 2019, similar disasters in the same district claimed dozens of lives. Environmentalists have long called for stricter regulations on construction and deforestation in landslide-prone zones.
