Idukki (Kerala), Oct 26 (PTI) A 48-year-old man died and his wife was severely injured after a mudslide, near the National Highway widening work, levelled at least eight houses in this district, police said on Sunday. The incident occurred at Mannamkandam in Adimali on Saturday night.
The deceased has been identified as Biju of Lakshamveedu Unnathi.
According to police, there were around 25 houses in the housing colony, and due to the risk of a mudslide, residents had been shifted to relief camps on Saturday.
Adimali Block Panchayat member Krishnamoorthi told PTI that mud was being removed from the hilly area as part of the widening of NH-85.
“The residential colony was located on the slope of the hill beneath the highway. As there was a possibility of a mudslide, panchayat officials issued a notice, and 25 families were shifted to Adimali on Saturday evening,” he said.
However, Biju and his wife Sandhya returned home later that night to prepare food.
“When they were inside their house, mud from the hill collapsed and fell over the houses around 10.30 pm. Biju and Sandhya were trapped inside. Around eight houses were flattened in the slide,” he said.
Residents alerted the police and Fire and Rescue Services, who launched a rescue operation.
“The couple was trapped under the debris. After a five-hour-long operation, they were pulled out. However, Biju succumbed to his injuries. Sandhya, who was initially admitted to a hospital in Adimali, was later shifted to a hospital in Aluva,” Krishnamoorthi said, adding that Sandhya’s condition is stable now.
Residents alleged that unscientific road widening was responsible for the tragedy.
“The mud is being removed as part of the highway work without any safety precautions. They are clearing the hill slopes without considering the risk of landslides,” Sulfi, a resident, said.
Anas, whose house was destroyed, said residents had noticed major cracks in the hillside and had alerted panchayat officials.
“The officials inspected the spot on Saturday morning and issued a notice asking us to evacuate due to the risk of a landslide. We were shifted to the Adimali government school camp, but the NH work continued,” he said.
The body of the deceased was handed over to relatives by afternoon, police said.
Meanwhile, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said in a statement that it had filed a detailed report with the authorities on the possibility of a landslide in the area.
As per the NHAI statement, following a communication from the Idukki District Disaster Management Unit on October 22, NHAI promptly visited the site and submitted a detailed report confirming the likelihood of a landslide.
“The report also recommended the immediate evacuation of families residing in the prone area. Acting on this advisory, the district administration issued formal notices to all resident families, warning them of the danger and instructing them to evacuate,” the statement said.
According to NHAI, swift cooperation from the local administration ensured that all at-risk families were safely relocated to a temporary relief camp at the Adimali Government School.
“Traffic movement in the area had also been suspended from 10 am on Saturday, as a precautionary measure,” NHAI said.
NHAI also claimed that at the time of the mudslide, no construction work was in progress.
Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine, Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, District Collector Dineshan Cheruvat, District Police Chief K M Sabu Mathew, and District Planning Committee Vice Chairman C V Varghese visited the spot.
An emergency meeting was convened at the Adimali Taluk Hospital to assess the situation and plan rehabilitation. The meeting decided to relocate 44 families from the affected area.
Minister Augustine said that eight houses were destroyed in the disaster.
Families from the affected area will be relocated to government quarters in Kathippara and the Life Mission Housing Complex in Machiplavu.
He added that efforts are underway to remove the debris and soil deposited in the affected areas.
“A special team comprising officials from the Local Self-Government Department, Geology Department, Disaster Management Authority, and the Public Works Department will be formed immediately to conduct a scientific assessment of the landslide-hit region. Further construction activities and follow-up measures will be based on the team’s report,” the minister said.
The minister also said that NHAI has been directed to provide immediate assistance to families that suffered losses.
Health Minister Veena George announced that Theophilos Nursing College in Kangazha, Kottayam, has decided to bear the educational expenses of Biju’s daughter. Biju’s daughter is a second-year nursing student at the college.
District Collector Dineshan Cheruvath has ordered a temporary halt to all National Highway construction works in the district in the wake of the landslide at Adimali.
The Collector said that a special team will inspect the affected sites and submit a report.
He directed the team to submit a preliminary report within two days and a detailed report within four days.
Until the study report is submitted, all construction activities along NH 85 and other landslide-prone areas in the district will remain suspended, the order said.
However, the Collector permitted the removal of soil that had fallen onto roads and adjacent areas.
Considering that a relief camp is functioning at the Adimali Government School, the Collector also declared a holiday for the Lower and Upper Primary sections of the institution. PTI TBA TBA ADB
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