Thiruvananthapuram Collector Orders School Construction Halt and Flat Evacuation After Cave-In

Urgent Evacuation

District Collector Anju K.S. has ordered the urgent evacuation of residents living in the adjacent PRS Lake Villa apartments in Thiruvananthapuram. The directive follows an earth cave-in that occurred barely four meters away from the apartment complex early Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The incident destroyed a boundary wall and caused a 50-meter stretch of the road in front of the flats to collapse. No casualties have been reported so far.

Official Orders

Authorities found that the cave-in happened after unscientific soil removal on the nearby compound of Good Shepherd School without proper safety measures or a retaining wall. The District Collector, who leads the district disaster management authority, halted all construction of the school building until the site is fully fortified and the danger to the apartments is removed. Officials including the Thiruvananthapuram tahsildar, Corporation Secretary, and District Police Chief must relocate the residents, with the school arranging their accommodation.

Context

Deep soil excavation for urban construction projects without required retaining structures can destabilize adjacent ground during heavy rains or loose soil conditions. Local administrative authorities step in with emergency stop-work and evacuation orders to protect human life when public and private safety is immediately threatened.