The heat of the Arabian Sea. A flock of clouds gathered above him. This caused devastation in Kerala. The next one week is still dangerous. According to the Meteorological Department, strong winds will blow in the low-lying areas of Kerala for the next 2-3 days. From July 30 to August 2, heavy rains and thunderstorms may occur in many areas of Kerala. Wayanad is also included in this.
The Meteorological Department had clearly said that there will be heavy and very heavy rain on 30th to 31st July. 7 to 11 cm rain in the first 24 hours and 12 to 20 cm rain on the second day. That means this is an extreme situation. Its impact will extend to Wayanad, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod. There is every possibility of rain in almost the same areas on the second day also. Rescue work in Wayanad is also taking place amidst rain.
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The winds over the sea are blowing at a speed of 35 to 45 kilometers per hour. Therefore, fishermen have been advised not to go into the sea. There was a possibility of huge damage due to heavy rains and landslides. In which warnings were issued about flash flood, damage to houses, uprooting of trees, disruption of power supply etc.
Why is it raining so much?
It is clearly visible in the satellite image of the Meteorological Department that clouds have gathered near Kerala. There is a possibility that the high hills of the Western Ghats located in the east of Kerala may not have given these clouds a way to spread or move further. Due to which tragedy occurred in Kedarnath in 2013. There too the clouds were stuck in the mountains. This is the reason why such a terrible devastation occurred in Wayanad.
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The Arabian Sea is warming rapidly. Director of Advanced Center for Atmospheric Radar Research at Cochin University, A. Abhilash told that it is raining heavily in Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram. A trough has formed in the sea. Due to this, the entire Konkan area has been affected for two days. This is exactly the same environment as happened in the year 2019. At present, a Mesoscale Cloud System is formed here.
Reason for gathering of clouds
Scientists have observed that a very deep cloud system is developing in the Arabian Sea near Kerala. This is the southern part of the Arabian Sea. This system remains in the sea only. But many times it moves towards the ground. As happened in the year 2019. The Arabian Sea is continuously warming due to climate change.
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Its effect is being felt in the atmosphere above Kerala. The atmosphere of Kerala has become thermodynamically unbalanced. Due to this imbalance, accumulation of dark clouds occurs. Earlier this type of weather used to occur in North Konkan region. Upstream of North Mangaluru. But due to climate change it is now coming downwards.
51% of Wayanad’s land is on slopes.
According to the study of Geological Survey of India, 43% of the entire area of Kerala is landslide prone area. 74% of Idukki’s land and 51% of Wayanad’s land are hill slopes. That means there is always a possibility of landslide. The most sloping area in Kerala is in the Western Ghats of 1848 square kilometers.
Western Ghats i.e. Wayanad, Kozhikode, Mallapuram, Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. Most landslides occur in these districts. Overall, 80 landslides occurred in eight districts of Kerala in the year 2019. That too in just three days. 120 people were killed in this. In 2018, 341 major landslides occurred in ten districts.
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Is the entire area of Wayanad up and down?
Plateau area with a height of more than 2695 meters i.e. 8841 feet. 40 percent of Kerala’s area is covered by the Western Ghats. Wild area with terrible humidity. Where even if it rains for a short while, landslides are bound to occur. Wayanad is present in the middle of such an area. Wayanad of 2130 square kilometers is geographically divided into four parts.
Peninsular Genesic Complex, Migmatite Complex, Charnockite Group and Wayanad Group. The stones of Wayanad Group are in the northern area. Charnockite in the south and south-east area. This is actually a chemical-geological way of explaining soil and stones. The district is present at an altitude of 2084 meters.
Most parts of the district get water from Kabani river and its branches. It is natural to have floods in the plains. Because there are hills all around. The eastern part of the district is 1000 to 1400 meters high. Most of the area has clay like soil. That means weak and slippery. Therefore the risk of landslides remains increased.
What is the reason for so many landslides?
Deforestation… Kerala has been known for tea plantations for more than 100 years. But due to reduction in tree and plant species, forests have decreased. Forests are also being cut down rapidly. The rainfall pattern has also changed due to climate change. Due to which landslides are increasing in sloping areas.
geographical situation… This district is situated on the slopes of the plateaus of the Western Ghats. These are very steep slopes. There are valleys. There are hills. Therefore, there is a greater possibility of landslides in such areas.
Heavy rain… Wayanad sometimes experiences rainfall of more than 2000 mm during the monsoon season. Due to this the soil becomes saturated. Due to which it gets cut. And landslides occur.
Soil quality… Wayanad has mostly laterite soil. That is, very weak and cutable. If it gets saturated by rain, then its weight increases. But strength ends. Slips.
Misuse of land brought big trouble
About a decade ago, the National Center for Earth Studies had made a map of a hazard zone. The area which was safe earlier. Now he is in danger. Of the landslides that occurred in Vythiri in Wayanad in 2018-19, 41% occurred around houses built on the slopes. 29% occurred on roadsides. 17% on commercial lands. 10% occurred in areas with trees and plants. Only 3 percent is in the forest. This means that this kind of natural disaster occurs only after change in land use.