Mudslide on Thamarassery ghat road: Traffic likely to resume today, debris removal underway
The incident was not a mudslide but a case of land subsidence caused by prolonged heavy rainfall, said an expert.
The incident was not a mudslide but a case of land subsidence caused by prolonged heavy rainfall, said an expert.
The incident was not a mudslide but a case of land subsidence caused by prolonged heavy rainfall, said an expert.
Kalpetta: A day after a massive mudslide blocked the Thamarassery Ghat stretch of the Kozhikode–Kollegal National Highway (NH 766), the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday launched urgent measures to clear debris and restore traffic.
The mudslide occurred near the 9th curve, close to the Wayanad Gate, bringing down uprooted trees, mud, and huge boulders that blocked the road. Continuous rain from the early hours of Wednesday hampered the debris-clearing operation, raising fears of fresh slips in the area.
Workers began removing accumulated soil from 7 am, and by 11 am, mechanised stone breakers, excavators, and tippers were deployed to break down large boulders and shift them from the spot. Though District Collector DR Meghasree, who visited the site, expressed hope to restore traffic by noon, the road remained shut.
Heavy traffic congestion, stranded passengers
According to the Churam Samrakshana Samithi, traffic on both sides of the ghat road has been heavily congested since Tuesday night.
“We cleared a single lane around midnight to release vehicles stuck on either side, but many others continued to enter the blocked road and were stranded for hours,” said Samithi Vice President Justin Kunnumparambil.
He added that several passengers faced hardship due to the lack of toilets and rest facilities. “I have received more than 300 calls, mostly from parents of students trying to return home as schools closed today. So far, three ambulances have sought passage through the route, and we halted work temporarily to allow emergency vehicles to pass,” he said.
Expert team inspects site
Around 10.30 am on Wednesday, a team including District Hazard Analyst Arun Peter, Soil Conservation Officer Thara Mohan and District Geologist Shelju inspected the site to assess the safety of reopening the road. A report was expected to be submitted to the District Collector by noon. The team will revisit the site after the debris is fully cleared.
Currently, only ambulances heading to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital and other major hospitals are being allowed through.
It's a land subsidence, says expert
Meanwhile, soil conservation expert Dr PU Das, former Wayanad District Soil Conservation Officer, told Onmanorama that the incident was not a mudslide but a case of land subsidence caused by prolonged heavy rainfall.
“There were no landslides in Wayanad this year as daily rainfall never crossed 250 mm — the threshold at which landslides usually occur. However, land subsidence is possible, as the district has received continuous rainfall for nearly 100 days over the last three months. The summer downpour from May 15 was also heavy,” he said.
He explained that incessant rain causes rainbow-shaped cracks to form on mountain slopes. “Similar incidents occurred in Wayanad in 2019, even in comparatively safer regions like Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavadi. The crack may have formed earlier, unnoticed, as it was high up the slope, about 100 metres from the road. When the soil weight exceeds the holding capacity of the surrounding earth mass, it slips down. Such subsidence may continue for a few days until the slope regains balance,” he added.