Devastating landslides hit Wayanad, many lost their life

The recent landslides in the Wayanad district of Kerala took the lives of around 300 people and over 200 are missing. The district received heavy rainfall which resulted in three landslides, severely affecting Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army are consistently making efforts to save more people and find the missing people in Wayanad.

About Landslide

  • A landslide is a geological phenomenon characterised by the downward movement of rock, soil, and debris in a large amount, causing unexpected devastation in the area.
  • The usual triggers of a landslide include extreme rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic movements, human actions, etc. The landslides can be categorised as slides, flows, spreads, topples, and falls of a certain part of land.
  • Primarily, it is a phenomenon that occurs in hilly areas. India has a significant hilly terrain, so landslide is a big concern. In recent years, many destructive incidences of landslides occurred in several parts of the country, raising concerns further. Wayanad is a recent example of landslides.

Susceptibility of India

  • India is among the most highly vulnerable countries in the world, with about 12% of its land area being prone to landslides.
  • The Northwestern Himalayan zone is extremely vulnerable to witness landslides. States like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand fall in this zone.
  • Moreover, the northeast region is also highly vulnerable to landslides. Most of the parts in this region are hilly and also receive heavy rainfall, creating conducive conditions for landslides.  
  • Additionally, Andaman and Nicobar, and the Western Ghat region, including states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, have also been categorised as highly vulnerable lands.
  • In the Eastern Ghat, the Araku valley of Andhra Pradesh is also very prone to witnessing landslides.

Impact of Landslides

The impact of landslides could be devastating. They can affect a range of activities while taking thousands of lives.

  • Loss of Life: The population living at the foothills can lose their lives when landslides hit. As they don’t give any sign, expecting a danger becomes difficult. The speed, with which the land of hills slides, doesn’t give much time to evacuate, resulting in huge loss of lives.
  • Damage to Property and Infrastructure: The land, rock, or debris falls at a high speed and their force causes significant damage to personal as well as national property. Buildings, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure are damaged severely. The further development of infrastructure also gets delayed due to hurdles caused by landslides.
  • Loss of Natural Beauty: Landslides severely affect the natural beauty and allure of a place. This results in a decline in tourists.
  • Hinders River Flow: Landslides block the path of rivers with rocks or debris, resulting in disrupted flow. It harms aqua life as well as irrigation systems, if any. Moreover, disrupted flows of rivers also result in floods in adjacent parts.
  • Economic Impact: Most importantly, landslides disrupt economic activities in the region as well as access to critical services like transportation. This adversely impacts livelihood opportunities, especially for locals. As the preparation of the ground to ensure normal conditions takes time, the economic impact gets worse.

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