The Facts
At least 106 people have died after heavy rains triggered massive landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala's Wayanad district in the early hours of Tuesday.
The death toll is likely to rise as many people are still missing or feared trapped under debris. Nearly 350 families are believed to have lived in the affected region known for its tea and cardamom estates.
The Spin
Wayanad is part of the Western Ghats Mountain range and, unfortunately, prone to landslides. An extremely heavy rainfall event can be forecast, but a geological 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.
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.
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 — exactly the same way they allow "development" activities in an ecologically sensitive zone.