State Agriculture Minister T. Siddique, who is at the accident site, said that both bodies have been removed to the hospital.

The mudslide occurred near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi on Thursday, where the Wayanad end of the tunnel road project is under construction.

Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue Services, police, forest officials and local volunteers fanned out across the accident site as excavators and earth-moving equipment continued the painstaking effort to clear tonnes of slush and boulders.

Intermittent rain and unstable terrain continued to hamper rescue operations.

The tragedy has once again turned the spotlight on the fragile hill terrain of Wayanad, where recurring landslides and mudslips have raised concerns over habitation, infrastructure projects and disaster preparedness.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, who visited the disaster site on Wednesday evening after reviewing the situation, directed officials to continue the rescue mission without interruption and ensure all possible assistance to the affected families.

The government has also ordered close monitoring of vulnerable locations in the district in view of continuing rainfall.