India: Massive Landslides Kill Over 120, Trap Dozens

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Facts

  • At least 120 people have died (with numbers in flux) after heavy rains triggered massive landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala's Wayanad district in the early hours of Tuesday.[1]
  • The death toll is likely to rise as many people are still missing or feared trapped under debris. The affected region is known for its tea and cardamom estates.[2]
  • Footage of the scene showed muddy water gushing through uprooted trees and flattened houses. At least 100 families have been reportedly stranded.[3]
  • The Indian army has been deployed to assist the national and state disaster rescue forces and the Kerala fire services in search and rescue efforts.[4]
  • Over 120 people were also injured in the disaster, while more than 3K people have been rescued and shifted to 45 relief camps. According to an official, the landslides have 'wiped out an entire area.'[5]
  • Kerala has become prone to flooding and landslides during India's monsoon season. In 2018, flash floods in the state left nearly 500 people dead.[6]

Sources: [1]The Hindu, [2]Reuters, [3]Al Jazeera, [4]CNN, [5]BBC News and [6]Guardian.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by New York Times. Wayanad is part of the Western Ghats Mountain range and, unfortunately, is prone to landslides. An extremely heavy rainfall event can be forecast, but a geologically-based event like a landslide can't be predicted with certainty. Tuesday's landslide was triggered by unprecedented incessant rain, which caused parts of hillocks to collapse, leading to flash floods. However, the authorities are doing their best to rescue and rehabilitate as many people amid treacherous, challenging conditions.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Business Today. While heavy rainfall and floods are expected in the region during the monsoon season, climate change has exacerbated extreme weather events. Tuesday's landslides in Wayanad indicate that the Arabian Sea's warming is forming deep cloud systems, resulting in more frequent rains in a shortened time frame, causing unexpected and deadly landslides. India must confront the realities of climate change to avoid another catastrophe.
  • Narrative C, as provided by Open Digest. Kerala is used to landslides during heavy rains, however, this disaster's magnitude shows the state's lackluster preparedness and response to natural disasters. Monsoon batters the state every year, but its disaster management authority never warns or evacuates residents in the landslide-prone areas. This tragedy could have been avoided had the authorities acted promptly — they must also investigate how they allowed 'development' activities in an ecologically sensitive zone.

Predictions