Torrential Rains Lead to Fatal Landslides at Western Ghats Mountain Range

Heavy rains have had a major impact on India, where landslides have turned fatal, destroying villages in Kerala state's Wayanad district.

Illikkal Kallu, Illikkal Kallu Road, Moonnilavu, Kerala, India / Mandatory Credit - Sleeba Thomas

There has been some heavy rainfall recently in India, which has caused severe damage to some regions. The storms have led to multiple landslides, which quickly turned fatal as the death toll sadly increases.

According to the Associated Press, via NBC News, there are at least 49 people dead as a result of the landslides. It has been difficult to pull off rescue missions because of how awful the weather has been.

Unfortunately, that number of 49 recorded deaths is almost assuredly going to grow. There are fears that more bodies who have been trapped under mud and debris will be pulled out as rescue operations continue.

Early on Tuesday, one of the areas that was hit hardest was Kerala state’s Wayanad district. The village was destroyed, with houses and a bridge being wiped away. Some rescue attempts were successful, as people were pulled out of the mess.

However, the terrain was difficult to navigate because of the uncertain stability and roads being blocked by debris. Local media has shared that a vast majority of the lives lost were tea estate workers from the area.

“We are trying every way to rescue our people,” state Health Minister Veena George said.

Wayanad is regarded as a hilly district as part of the Western Ghats mountain range. A very popular place for tourists to visit, Kerala is prone to such devastating events.

In 2018, one of the worst floods occurred, killing almost 500 people. 11 inches of rain has been reported in the area, with more expected to come throughout Tuesday.

“Monsoon patterns are increasingly erratic and the quantum of rainfall that we receive in a short spell of time has increased. As a result, we see frequent instances of landslides and floods along the Western Ghats,” said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

Monsoon season regularly brings floods because of heavy rainfall to India between June and September. It is one of the unfortunate things people have to deal with in the area as climate change and global warming are making the weather phenomenon even tougher to track.