People who were stranded at Attamala after the landslide being evacuated through a temporary bridge on July 31, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat

A team of geologists who surveyed the landslide-hit zone in Wayanad on Thursday (August 15, 2024) said a heavy rainfall-induced “damming effect” in a densely forested and uninhabited uphill region had caused the massive earthfall that wiped out three villages at Vythiri taluk in the Wayanad district of Kerala early on July 30. 

Geologist John Mathai, who heads the team of experts from the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESC) investigating the landslide, told reporters at ground zero in Wayanad that the group’s finding was merely a “preliminary inference”.

 More detailed studies were underway, including soil testing and gauging seismic stability.

Mr. Mathai said 570 mm of rainfall caused the forested hillock to get waterlogged. The saturated soil flowed downwards, forming a temporary “dam” at Seethammakundu. 

The rain further boosted the scale of sodden topsoil discharge from uphill, straining the naturally formed dam and imperilling the slope’s stability. 

Mr. Mathai said that in the early hours of July 30, the debris outflow stretched the naturally formed barrage to breaking point. It soon collapsed under the momentum of the unabating inflow of soggy mud and debris, including uprooted trees, triggering the hillock slippage that decimated the villages an estimated 6.5 km downhill from the landslide’s provenance.

Mr. Mathai said Puncharimattom, the origin of the landslide, was no longer habitable. However, a large swathe of land at Chooralmala could be reclaimed for the construction of houses. He said the NCESC team would soon submit its final report to the Kerala government.

Search continues

Meanwhile, the harrowing search for bodies of the landslide victims continued downstream Chaliyar river in Nilambur taluk in the neighbouring Malappuram district. 

Speaking to reporters in Wayanad, Revenue Minister K. Rajan said 118 persons remained missing. Search teams were scouring the mud and debris the cascading landslide had deposited in the upstream Iruvanipuzha river and downstream Chaliyar for bodies. Central and State government forces were conducting the massive search operation, guided by handlers of cadaver-detecting trained sniffer dogs and local scouts and divers. 

Mr. Rajan said the search operations since the landslide yielded 212 body parts, about 173 from either bank of the Chaliyar river in Nilambur. Search teams scouring the river’s banks found 80 bodies out of the total 231 recovered so far. 

He said the government had divided the locality into five sectors so that search teams could cover as much ground as possible. The Minister also warned volunteers against undertaking search missions alone. He said mobile phone reception was patchy or non-existent in the forested regions abutting the disaster zone. “Volunteers could easily get lost or trapped.

The district administration might not know about their absence till it is too late”, Mr. Rajan said. He also warned that the rains were set to intensify over Kerala in the coming days and cautioned people against taking unnecessary risks. 

A damaged car at the landslide site in Wayanad following torrential downpours.
| Photo Credit: National Disaster Response Force/AFP

Heavy rain made about 10% stronger by human-caused climate change triggered the landslides that killed more than 200 people in India’s southern state of Kerala last month, a team of international scientists has concluded.

The landslides on July 30 in the coastal state’s Wayanad region were its worst disaster since 2018, when floods killed more than 400 people.

The study, released on Wednesday by the World Weather Attribution group, which examines the role of climate change in extreme weather, found that single-day monsoon downpours in Wayanad have become 10% heavier because of climate change.

Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had blamed unexpectedly heavy rainfall for the casualties, saying the region received 572 mm of rain over the preceding 48 hours, more than double the 204 mm forecast.

One-day bursts of rain in Kerala will become another 4% heavier if the world does not move away from fossil fuels and global warming reaches 2º C, the study said.

“The increase in climate change-driven rainfall found in this study is likely to increase the potential number of landslides that could be triggered in the future,” it said.

Minimising deforestation and quarrying, reinforcing susceptible slopes, and building retaining structures to protect vulnerable areas were some of the other measures it recommended to prevent similar disasters in future.

Some experts told Reuters earlier this month that heavy rainfall in the fortnight before the landslides, which softened the soil, as well as over-development and unchecked tourism in the state may also have been contributing factors.

“In addition to mitigation, adaptation is critical”, said Maja Vahlberg, one of the authors of the study, calling for more stringent assessment of landslides and better early warning and evacuation systems.

The landslides were the latest in a series of weather-related calamities in India that some experts have linked to climate change, from soaring temperatures and long heatwaves to torrential rains and cyclones.

The World Weather Attribution group concluded in a report in May that extreme temperatures in Asia the preceding month were made worse by human-driven climate change.

Thiruvananthapuram:

The second phase of the search for the missing persons in the Wayanad landslide disaster commenced on Sunday with the operation being carried out in six zones where the survivors will help in locating the spots.

The six zones include Chooralmala, Mundakkai and Punchiri Mattam. However, the operations in the risky terrain of Soochippara and downstream of the Chaliyar River will resume on Monday. At least 413 people lost their lives and 152 are still missing after the massive landslides hit Wayanad district of Kerala during the early hours of July 30.

Kerala Police, State Fire and Rescue Service personnel, survivors of the landslides, relatives of victims and volunteers of various service and youth outfits are part of the search operations.

Hundreds of civil volunteers, including women, are in the search teams and have crisscrossed the hilly regions. The Bailey Bridge, constructed by the Indian Army, is proving a boon to the locals and those involved in the relief and rescue mission.

Those people who registered for the work before 9 a.m. on Sunday were allowed to join the search operation.

The relatives and survivors from the relief camps are included in the search team to assist the rescue workers in identifying the places.

Cadaver dogs are also in the team to trace the spots where human remains are trapped under the debris.

Excavators will be used to remove the earth to search for the bodies after Cavadar dogs trace the spot, said officials.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the relatives are being made part of the search operations to find people who are still missing as all other possible means have been exhausted.

The search operations took a brief break on Friday afternoon as the area was handed over to the SPG after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the disaster-hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala regions of the northern hilly district of Kerala.

PM Modi visited the landslides-hit Wayanad district and assured that the Central government will “spare no effort” in helping Kerala in relief and rehabilitation while describing the tragedy as “nature displaying its furious form”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden expressed condolences to India over the devastating landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad that took the lives of over 300 people.

“Jill and I extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by the deadly landslides in the state of Kerala in India,” the White House said in an official statement.

“Our prayers are with the victims of this tragic event, and we mourn with the families who have lost loved ones. We commend the bravery of the Indian service members and first responders supporting the complex recovery effort. We will continue to hold the people of India in our thoughts during this difficult time,” said the White House.

The number of people who died in the landslides that struck the hilly areas of Meppadi in Wayanad district on July 30 following incessant rainfall has gone up to 210 while the people who have been discharged from the hospitals stood at 187, officials said on Friday.

As per the officials, 210 bodies and 134 body parts have been recovered till now which includes 96 males, 85 females and 29 children.

The number of bodies identified by relatives stood at 146. The administration has completed the post-mortem of 207 bodies and 134 body parts found from the incident site.

According to the officials, 84 people are undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts while 187 have been discharged.

273 people have been brought to hospitals from the incident site.

Earlier today, Kerala Health Minister Veena George confirmed 308 deaths in the multiple landslides that hit Wayanad on July 30.

Two massive landslides hit Wayanad’s Chooralmala and Mundakkai on July 30 creating widespread devastation, and loss of lives and property in the region.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Thiruvananthapuram:

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed Chief Secretary V Venu to withdraw a controversial note issued by the State Disaster Management Authority, which restrained science and technology institutions in the state from sharing their opinions and study reports with the media regarding the recent deadly landslides in Wayanad.

In a statement on Thursday night, Vijayan said the news that the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) had directed scientific institutions and scientists not to visit the disaster-affected Meppadi Panchayat in Wayanad and not to express their opinions was misleading.

“The state government does not have such a policy,” the Chief Minister said.

“The Chief Secretary has been directed to immediately intervene and withdraw the communication that conveyed such a message,” he said.

Earlier, the scientific community had strongly protested against the note prepared by State Relief Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Disaster Management, Tinku Biswal, which directed all science and technology institutions in the state not to undertake any field visits to Meppadi Panchayat in Wayanad, where several people were killed in the devastating landslides on Tuesday.

The note had said that the scientific community should restrain themselves from sharing their opinions and study reports with the media.

It also stated that prior permission from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority was required to undertake any studies in the disaster-affected area.

The massive landslides hit Kerala’s Wayanad district on Tuesday morning, killing at least 190 people and injuring many.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Over 290 people have been killed in landslides after heavy rain in Kerala’s Wayanad since Tuesday and many people are missing while hundreds have either lost their houses or have been evacuated. To help the displaced people and assist in rehabilitation efforts, NDTV has started the ‘Care For Kerala’ campaign.

On Wednesday, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani had announced a contribution of Rs 5 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund to aid in the rescue and rehabilitation.

“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in Wayanad. My heart goes out to the affected families. The Adani Group stands in solidarity with Kerala during this difficult time. We humbly extend our support with a contribution of Rs 5 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund,” Mr Adani said in a post on X.

The extent of the tragedy is still unclear as some affected areas remain cut off. You can also contribute and help the people of Wayanad in this difficult time. 

If you would like to help, you can make a contribution here:

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New Delhi:

In a rebuttal to Home Minister Amit Shah’s statements in Parliament, Kerala Health Minister Veena George told NDTV that no red alert for landslides was issued by the Centre. This clarification comes in the wake of Mr Shah’s remarks suggesting that the Kerala government had been forewarned about potential landslides, which resulted in over 150 deaths and 200 injuries in Wayanad district.

Speaking to NDTV, Ms George described Mr Shah’s statement as “unfortunate and misleading”. She insisted that thorough checks of all messages from the central government came up with no red alert. “We have verified all communications from the Centre, and there was no red alert issued regarding landslides. The district administration acted based on an orange alert, which is a level lower in severity,” Ms George stated.

The minister added that the Wayanad district administration had taken preventive measures based on the orange alert, including the evacuation of many residents to safer locations.

Amit Shah In Parliament 

Mr Shah claimed yesterday that the Centre had provided early warnings to the Kerala government as early as July 23. He claimed that the Centre had dispatched nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to Kerala in anticipation of heavy rainfall and potential landslides. “The Kerala government was warned a week in advance, but they failed to evacuate people in time, leading to the tragic loss of lives,” Mr Shah said.

The Home Minister further said that India is among the few countries capable of predicting natural disasters seven days in advance. He claimed that had the Kerala government acted on the early warnings and the deployment of NDRF teams, the casualties could have been significantly reduced. “The Modi government stands firmly with the people of Kerala in this time of crisis,” Mr Shah assured.

Centre’s Response 

Union Minister George Kurian, who visited Wayanad on the night of the disaster, reiterated the Centre’s commitment to supporting Kerala. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was closely monitoring the situation and had directed immediate assistance and resources to the affected areas. “Both control rooms of the Ministry of Home Affairs are operational 24/7, ensuring all possible support is extended to the state,” Mr Kurian said.

The Indian Army and Air Force are actively engaged in rescue operations. Two columns of army personnel and two Indian Air Force helicopters have been deployed, alongside NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and specialised dog squads to aid in the search and rescue efforts.

Political Reactions

Parliament proceedings saw heated exchanges, with opposition members stressing the need for robust early warning systems. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, representing Wayanad, urged the government to extend all possible aid to the affected people and address the ecological concerns contributing to such disasters. Mr Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to visit the relief camps set up in the district today. 

BJP member Tejasvi Surya criticised Gandhi, claiming that he never raised the issue of landslides in his constituency. He also alleged that illegal encroachments in Wayanad, ignored due to pressure from religious organisations, exacerbated the disaster. These remarks led to protests from Congress members, causing a brief adjournment of the proceedings.

Experts from various fields have called for a review of disaster management protocols. John Brittas of CPI(M) termed the Wayanad landslides as the worst in Kerala’s history and urged the Centre to declare it a national disaster. 
 

At least 143 people have died and about 186 others were injured after a series of landslides hit Kerala’s Wayanad district amid heavy rain yesterday.

Here Are 10 Updates On Kerala Landslides