In Kerala's hilly district of Wayanad, nature has unleashed havoc, leading to a landslide where 146 lives have been lost. Over 90 people are reportedly missing, reopening the wounds of previous natural disasters that have repeatedly shaken Kerala.
First, let's talk about the disastrous floods that occurred in Kerala in August 2018. This natural disaster claimed 483 lives and was termed the 'flood of the century'. This catastrophic event not only took lives but also ravaged property and livelihoods.
The impact was so significant that the central government declared the 2018 flood a 'Disaster of Serious Nature'. After this calamity, over 3.91 lakh families, comprising more than 1.45 million people, were rehabilitated in relief camps. A total of 57,000 hectares of crops were destroyed. The images of pregnant women being airlifted by Indian Air Force helicopters in 2018 remain fresh in the minds of Keralites. During Kerala’s reconstruction post the 2018 floods, there were also questions raised about environmentally friendly construction practices.
Source: aajtak
According to the Kerala government, a sixth of the state's population was directly affected by the flood and related incidents. Just as the state was slowly getting back on its feet after the devastating 2018 floods, another calamity struck in 2019 with a landslide in Puthumala, Wayanad, about 10 kilometers from the currently affected areas, claiming 17 lives.
According to PTI, in October 2021, continuous rainfall led to another landslide, resulting in 35 deaths in the Idukki and Kottayam districts of the state. According to data shared by the Indian Meteorological Department, heavy rains and flood-related incidents in 2021 claimed 53 lives in Kerala.
Source: aajtak
According to the state government, in August 2022, severe rainfall led to landslides and flash floods, resulting in 18 deaths, damaging hundreds of properties, and displacing thousands to relief camps.
Incidents related to the 2022 rains saw over 5,000 people from disaster-hit and disaster-prone areas of the state being relocated to 178 relief camps. According to the Ministry of Earth Science, out of 3,782 landslides recorded in the country between 2015 and 2022, Kerala accounted for the highest number, with 2,239 landslides.
