IMD issues heavy rain alert in Kerala, NDRF, CRPF, and the Army race against time to rescue citizens of Wayanad
Kerala: On Tuesday, two massive landslides hit the Wayanad district of Kerala, destroying several houses and roads, uprooting trees, and causing the local water bodies to swell. The first landslide struck Mundakkai at 2 am and the second occurred in Chooramala at 4:10 am on July 30. NDRF and the Army have been deployed to rescue people who are possibly trapped under debris. So far around 156 people are dead by this disaster and around 130 are claimed injured. The Indian Army stated that so far nearly 1,000 people have been rescued and 70 dead bodies have been recovered.
Wayanad landslides
Heavy rain on Tuesday morning triggered this Landslide in Kerala. Three disastrous landslides struck the hilly areas near Meppadi in Wayanad district and it took the district down in a mere four hours duration. Noolpuzha, Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Attamala villages are among the worst affected. It is feared that many people were washed away in the Chaliyar River as over 50 bodies were recovered many kilometers downstream of the river. A news channel reported, the bodies are being kept at the Government Hospital in Nilambur.
Landslide in Kerala
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a high-level meeting late on Tuesday, to accelerate rescue efforts in Chooralmala, Wayanad which was heavily affected by the Wayanad landslides. The meeting was held at the Kerala SDMA office. In light of these landslides, CM Vijayan stated,“ The landslide in Wayanad is a heart-wrenching disaster. There was extremely heavy rainfall. An entire area has been wiped out. Many who went to sleep last night have been swept away,”. Kerala Health Minister Veena George was en route to Wayanad when her vehicle met with a minor accident near Manjeri in Malappuram district. No major injuries were reported but she is currently admitted to the Manjeri Medical College. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were scheduled to meet with the families affected by the tragedy but postponed their visit. Rahul Gandhi took to X and gave the reason for this postponement,“ due to incessant rains and adverse weather conditions we have been informed by authorities that we will not be able to land,”
Rescue in Wayanad
45 relief camps have been set up in Wayanad to accommodate 3,069 people. The rescue agencies are racing against time to save the hundreds of survivors still trapped under the debris. Additional teams including 200 soldiers, medical personnel, and equipment from the Territorial Army from Kozhikode and the Defence Security Corps (DSC) center in Kannur have been deployed to support the rescue efforts.
Kerala Landslides
- Abhilash, a senior climate scientist warned that the extreme rainfall Kerala is witnessing is caused due to the warming of the Arabian Sea, leading to the formation of deep cloud systems, resulting in heavy rainfall in a shortened time frame and raising the risk of landslides. He pointed out the similarities between the Kerala Landslides of 2024 and the ruinous floods of 2019, highlighting that the recent weather patterns could signal a similar risk.
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IMD, India Meteorological Department stated, “ Heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places in Kerala on July 31 and August 1.”The weather department forecasted heavy rainfall for August 2 and warned,“ strong surface winds with speeds reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph are likely to prevail occasionally over Kerala on July 30 and 31.”
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