A catastrophic mudslide struck the Lakshamveedu Unnathi housing colony in Mannamkandam, Adimali, late Saturday night, demolishing at least eight homes and killing 48-year-old resident Biju. His wife Sandhya sustained severe injuries after being buried under tons of earth for over five hours. The disaster occurred near ongoing National Highway-85 widening work, despite earlier evacuation warnings issued by local authorities. The couple had returned home briefly to prepare food, defying the relocation order that had moved all 22 families to safety earlier that day.

Local officials confirmed the landslide hit around 10:30 p.m., triggered by heavy excavation on the steep hillside above the settlement. Adimali Block Panchayat member Krishnamoorthi stated that deep fissures had appeared days earlier, prompting urgent inspections and evacuation notices by Saturday afternoon. All residents were shifted to Adimali Government School as a precautionary measure. However, Biju and Sandhya returned around 8 p.m., unaware that the unstable slope was moments from collapse. Within hours, a massive volume of mud and rock cascaded down, flattening homes in seconds.

Rescue operations began immediately after locals raised the alarm. Fire and Rescue Services, supported by police and volunteers, worked through torrential rain and darkness to locate the trapped couple. Using excavators, cutting tools, and manual digging, teams extracted them after a tense five-hour effort. Biju was declared dead on arrival at Adimali Taluk Hospital due to crush injuries and asphyxiation. Sandhya, suffering multiple fractures and internal trauma, was stabilized locally before being transferred to a super-specialty hospital in Aluva, where she now remains under observation with a stable condition.

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Residents have condemned the National Highways Authority of India and its contractors for unscientific hill-cutting practices. Survivor Anas revealed that families had repeatedly alerted officials about about visible cracks since Monday, submitting written complaints to panchayat officials. Despite Saturday’s inspection and evacuation order, excavation continued without safety measures like retaining walls or drainage systems. Environmentalists cite a 2023 Kerala State Disaster Management Authority report warning that over 60 percent of NH-85 hill sections lack proper stabilization, contributing to a 40 percent rise in landslides in Idukki over the past decade.

The tragedy deepens personal loss for Biju’s family, who lost their son in a road accident last year. Their daughter, a nursing student in Kottayam, is now the sole surviving child. Adimali police have registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation into potential negligence. Local MP Dean Kuriakose has demanded an immediate halt to hill-cutting and a third-party safety audit. The Kerala High Court has taken suo motu cognizance, directing NHAI and the state PWD to submit compliance reports. Displaced families remain in temporary shelter, demanding permanent rehabilitation before the northeast monsoon brings further risk.

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