Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - A massive landslide in Kerala’s Wayanad district has killed two people after heavy rain triggered slope failure near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi. The spot is close to the Anakkampoyil Meppadi tunnel road project, which connects Malappuram and Wayanad districts.

The landslide occurred in a hilly stretch where intense rainfall has made slopes unstable, raising fresh concerns about the region’s vulnerability during the monsoon. The location is significant because it lies near the alignment of the proposed Anakkampoyil-Meppadi tunnel road, an 8.73 km project designed to connect Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode district with Kalladi and Meppadi in Wayanad. The tunnel road has been presented as a major connectivity project for the region, but the terrain also highlights the environmental risks associated with construction in this area.

The project has already gone through key approvals, including forest clearance, and is intended to reduce travel time and bypass the congested Thamarassery Ghat Road. It includes an 8.11 km twin tunnel and approach roads, with work expected to be carried out over forest and private land. The latest landslide is likely to renew scrutiny of road-building and slope stability in Wayanad, which has seen repeated rain-related disasters in recent years.

The two deaths underline how dangerous Wayanad’s terrain becomes during heavy rain. With the landslide occurring close to a major tunnel project, the incident is likely to intensify debate over infrastructure, ecology and disaster safety in the district.