Man Killed, Wife Injured as Mudslide Destroys Houses in Idukki

Idukki: A 48-year-old man died and his wife was seriously injured after a massive mudslide near the National Highway flattened at least eight houses at Mannamkandam in Adimali on Saturday night.
The deceased was identified as Biju, a resident of Lakshamveedu Unnathi. Police said the colony had around 22 houses, and residents had been shifted to relief camps earlier in the day due to the threat of a landslide.
The residential area was located on a slope just below the highway. As there was a high risk of a mudslide, panchayat officials issued warnings and evacuated 22 families to Adimali town on Saturday evening. However, Biju and his wife Sandhya returned home later that night to collect some documents.
At around 10.30 pm, a 40-foot-high mound of earth collapsed, burying their two-storey house and several others. The couple was trapped inside as the mud engulfed the building.
Local residents alerted the police and Fire and Rescue Services, who launched a joint operation with the NDRF and local volunteers. Using earth-moving machines, the rescue teams worked tirelessly for nearly five hours before pulling the couple out of the debris. Biju succumbed to his injuries, while Sandhya, who survived the collapse, was first admitted to a hospital in Adimali and later shifted to a facility in Aluva. Her condition is reported to be stable.
Minister Roshy Augustine, MLA E. Raja, and the District Collector reached the site and coordinated the rescue efforts. Several nearby houses sustained major damage, and traffic on the Adimali–Munnar route was temporarily suspended following the landslide.