Heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides in Kerala, a southern state in India, on Tuesday, resulting in over a hundred fatalities, numerous injuries, and many people trapped under debris.
The landslides severely affected the Wayanad district’s hillside villages such as Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha.
Rescue operations have faced setbacks due to adverse weather conditions, with officials expressing concerns that hundreds may still be trapped.
The state’s Health Minister, Veena George, reported extensive infrastructure damage, including destroyed roads and a swept-away bridge, which has cut off access to several areas.
“We need to restore connectivity. We’re planning to deploy helicopters, but the weather conditions are challenging,” she stated to the news agency ANI.
Rescue efforts have been supported by helicopters and the Indian Army, which is assisting in constructing a temporary bridge to reconnect the affected regions.
In response to ongoing rainfall, which is expected to continue, local authorities have closed schools in some parts of the state.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Kerala, known for its vulnerability to landslides, recorded up to 28cm (11 inches) of rain in parts of Wayanad in the past 24 hours.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences and announced financial assistance for the victim’s families and the injured.
He also emphasized the need for mapping landslide-prone areas and implementing mitigation measures to address the increasing frequency of natural disasters in ecologically sensitive areas.
This incident comes as other regions in India, including the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, also experience landslides, while parts of the north face flooding.
Scientific studies indicate that climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, is contributing to more erratic rainfall patterns and extreme weather events, making such disasters more frequent and severe.
