The death toll from the July 7 landslide at the tunnel project site in Kerala’s Wayanad rose to eight on Sunday after the body of the last person feared to be trapped under the rubble was recovered after an intensive search operation, officials familiar with the developments said.
The accident occurred in Kalady at the site of the Anakkampoyil-Meppadi twin-tube tunnel project, which aims to connect Wayanad and Kozhikode districts.
According to officials, the deceased is identified as Vikram Rana, a resident of Thakoli-Girthan village in Fatehpur district of Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district. He was the project manager at the tunnel construction site and was sent to the project in February this year.
The body was found about 350 meters below the Meenakshi Bridge, where iron debris had accumulated after the landslide, during a search along the river around 11.30 am, officials said.
“The body was identified by Rana’s relatives and was taken to Vythiri Talik Hospital for post-mortem examination. It will later be shifted to Kozhikode Government Medical Hospital for embalming before being transported to his native place,” the district administration said in a statement.
Kulwant Rana, Vikram’s elder brother, said his recovery ended the anxious wait for the family, who had been praying for his safety. “The recovery of the body ended six days of anxious waiting for the family, relatives and villagers. We were hopeful of his safe rescue. The family members did not cook food at home during the entire period and are praying for his safe return.”
Meanwhile, Kerala Agriculture Minister T Siddique on Sunday said that the company implementing the tunnel project in Kalladi has been directed to provide immediate and long-term financial assistance to the families of those killed and injured in the July 7 landslide.
After searches over the past five days failed to find Vikram, authorities launched a large-scale operation on Sunday involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Special Operations Group (SOG), Fire and Rescue Services, Rapid Response Team, forest department staff and youth voluntary organisations.
