A tragedy of indescribable enormity unfolded near Meppadi in Kerala’s hilly Wayanad district early Tuesday when landslides triggered by unprecedented rain nearly wiped out human settlements, including two small towns. The latest death toll is 249—it can rise because as many as 240 people are missing. While the real scale of the disaster is still unravelling with rescue efforts progressing amid challenges posed by the magnitude of destruction, terrain and weather, reports narrate heart-wrenching stories of devastation, despair and grief. This is Kerala’s worst rain-related disaster since the 2018 mega floods. What happened in Wayanad is a dire reminder that natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe in the ecologically-fragile state. What makes disasters in Kerala deadlier is its high population density that scales up human cost, makes rescue and relief difficult, and renders implementation of prevention and mitigation measures complicated.
The increasing frequency of disasters can be attributed to both natural and man-made factors. Climate change has significantly altered the monsoon rainfall pattern, with Kerala now witnessing more short spells of unusually heavy rain that have the potential to trigger landslides and flooding. Human activities like deforestation, construction, mining and tourism do not only contribute to such disasters, but also worsen the scale of damage. The state is particularly guilty of failing to ensure the protection of its fragile ecology. While it was at the forefront of opposition to the Gadgil Committee’s report that recommended measures to protect the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats, it is also strongly resisting the implementation of a much-diluted version prepared by the Kasturirangan Committee.
Kerala must wake up to the twin reality of extreme weather patterns and the recurrence of natural disasters. It must arm itself well to deal with the calamities so as to minimise the damage. Given the density of human habitats, it’s understandable why the state cannot strictly implement all recommendations of ecology expert panels. But that does not mean human activities in sensitive zones should go unregulated or unmonitored.
The state cannot afford to ignore the sustainability factor in development. Besides, it needs to put in place robust monitoring and warning systems to alert citizens about possible landslides and floods. Though it has identified landslide-prone areas, it still needs ‘run-out maps’ to predict the path of debris flow. It’s now abundantly clear Kerala cannot lose more time in equipping itself to handle calamities.