Wayanad landslides: Death toll rises to 151; what caused deadly disaster in India's Kerala?

The death toll in the devastating series of landslides in Kerala's Wayanad district has reached to 143, with hundreds more injured or missing.

The multiple landslides caused widespread destruction, burying homes, uprooting trees, and blocking roads.

Rescue teams are working tirelessly to find and rescue those trapped in the debris.

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Here are the latest updates:

1. Indian Army has deployed around 300 personnel for rescue operations in Wayanad, while 140 are on standby in Thiruvananthapuram in case of emergency situation.

2. Over 120 rescued and injured persons are receiving treatment in Wayanad.

3. All educational institutions will remain closed on Wednesday (Jul31). A holiday has been declared in 11 districts - Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta, reported Onmanorama.

4. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of more heavy rain in Kerala. An orange alert has been issued for Wayanad and surrounding districts, with predictions of intense rainfall on July 31 and August 1.

5. The Prime Minister's Office has announced compensation of Rs2 lakh for the families of those killed in the calamity. Those injured would be given Rs50,000.

6. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired a high-level meeting on Tuesday evening to take stock of the rescue operations and review health and safety arrangements at the relief camps.

7. The Kerala Health Department has established a control room to assist those affected by the landslides. If you require urgent help, please contact the following numbers: 9656938689, 8086010833

8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday morning and assured all help to the LDF government.

9.“I would like to say this is a tragedy of not just Kerala alone, but the entire nation is concerned… Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, The government of India is working proactively and doing everything necessary for the relief work in Kerala,” Union Minister JP Nadda said.

10.Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will likely visit Wayanad soon to observe the situation,Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal told ANI.

What caused deadly Kerala landslides?

A deadly combination of climate change, fragile topography, and rampant deforestation contributed to the catastrophic landslides in Kerala's Wayanad district, resulting in the tragic loss of lives. This conclusion is supported by extensive research conducted over the years.

A landslide atlas published by ISRO last year highlighted Kerala's vulnerability. Ten of India's top 30 landslide-prone districts are located in the state, with Wayanad ranking 13th. This data emphasizes the region's susceptibility to such disasters.

"The susceptibility of population and households is more significant in the Western Ghats due to the very high population and household density, especially in Kerala," the report read.

According to scientists, climate change is adding to the possibility of landslides in the Western Ghats, one of the eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity in the world.

The experts explained that the southeast Arabian Sea is heating up.

“This warming is causing the atmosphere over the region, including Kerala, to become increasingly unstable," said S Abhilash, director of the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).

(With inputs from agencies)