A calamity of this sort happened in the placid, yet dangerous mountains of Wayanad in Kerala. Torrential rains for days have caused major landslides; more than 100 deaths, several injuries, and many more are feared trapped under the debris. The unconscionable frequency and intensity of disasters such as these raise important questions as to their causes and if climate change can, in fact, be linked to such extreme weather events.

The Human Toll

• Deaths: At least 106
• Injuries: 128 confirmed
• Trapped: Hundreds suspected

The human cost is staggering, with families torn apart and communities devastated. Rescue operations are ongoing, but the treacherous conditions are hampering efforts.

On a fateful Tuesday morning, the hills ringing Meppadi in Wayanad were ripped apart by massive landslides. The continuous rains saturated the soil, destabilizing the terrain and causing deadly slips. The landslides that occurred within four hours have left behind a trail of destruction and heartbreak. At least 106 people have died, 128 are confirmed injured, and hundreds are suspected to be trapped under the rubble. The human cost is huge: families torn apart, communities devastated. Rescue operations are in full swing, but treacherous conditions hamper the efforts.

S. Abhilash, Director of the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research at Cochin University of Science and Technology, CUSAT, provided crucial insights into climatic factors involved. He links the formation of deep cloud systems over the Arabian Sea to the unprecedented rainfall of Kerala. The Arabian Sea warms up with every such episode of continuous cloud release. The warming really sets the atmosphere unstable, eventually leading to the development of deep mesoscale cloud systems. These heavy moisture-laden clouds pave the way for an intense and concentrated, localized rainfall pattern. Abhilash draws parallels with the 2019 devastating floods, where similar patterns were witnessed: formation of deep clouds and intense rainfall, which is repeating again. Added to this is the southward shift of the rain-bearing belt from its historical zone in northern Konkan.

Regional Impact

Affected Areas

The districts of Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Calicut, and Malappuram have borne the brunt of this climatic upheaval. Continuous rainfall for weeks has saturated the soil, setting the stage for landslides.

Rainfall Measurements

• Thrissur: 19 cm to 35 cm
• Palakkad: 19 cm to 35 cm
• Kozhikode: 19 cm to 35 cm
• Wayanad: 19 cm to 35 cm
• Kannur: 19 cm to 35 cm
• Malappuram: 19 cm to 35 cm
• Ernakulam: 19 cm to 35 cm

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported these alarming figures, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Calicut, and Malappuram have borne the brunt of this climatic disturbance. At least a fortnight’s intermediary rainfall made the soil drenched and prepared the ground for landslides. Readings from the Indian Meteorological Department have claimed that in these districts, between 19 cm to 35 cm rainfall has been noted. These figures indicate the severity of the situation.

Continuous rains lead to wetting of the soil. When the soil reaches a point where it cannot absorb any more water, it becomes unstable, increasing the risk of landslides. This is particularly dangerous in the hilly regions of the Western Ghats. Warming waters—linked to heavy rainfall—form deep cloud systems over the Arabian Sea. Heavy rainfall, combined with saturated soil, causes landslides. Warming in the case of the Arabian Sea is a consequence of climate change. Nowadays, with temperatures rising around the face of the globe, even sea temperatures rise, disturbing weather events that produce heavier weather. Warmer seas are unstable below the atmosphere above, providing a perfect setup for the formation of deep cloud systems. Insecurity is already a result of climate change.

The 2019 catastrophic floods are a reminder of how nature can be furious. During this period, there were similar patterns of deep cloud formations and intense downpours, which give important lessons today. There is, therefore, need to address such a critical requirement by improving preparedness and response strategies through investment in an early warning system, infrastructure improvement, and training at the community level. Disaster can be mitigated to a large extent by investing in an early warning system, improving infrastructure, and training of the community to mitigate the disaster.

The root cause of the problem—climate change—needs to be addressed. It is satisfying to control carbon emission, adopt sustainability, and foster international cooperation in cases that require a fight against climate change. Other crucial local adaptation measures comprise better infrastructure, community training, and early warning systems. What it involves, for example, is building resilient infrastructure that would be able to withstand extreme weathers, educating the communities on disaster preparedness, and having an enhanced warning system that can be used to give warning in time.

Community support and rehabilitation become essential in the wake of such disasters. Affected communities can recover and rebuild if provided with immediate relief, psychological support, and long-term rehabilitation. Governments and NGOs are on the front lines concerning disaster response and rehabilitation. This kind of well-coordinated effort at different levels ensures that resources are effectively used and distributed among the people.

The tragic landslides in Wayanad, leaving many people either dead or missing, are an illustrative pointer to the might of nature and the urgent need for action on the climate front. While we weep over the loss and empathize with those who have been affected, it becomes extremely important to learn from this disaster. We can actually try to avoid such tragedies in the near future by taking tangible action toward climate practices and preparedness.