Urul Pottal… This is what landslide is called in Malayalam language. Dozens of dead bodies have come out from under the soil. There is a possibility of many being buried. Mundakki, Churalmala, Attamala and Noolpuzha villages have been most affected. Wayanad is not the only district to face Urul Pottal. Districts like Kottayam, Idukki are also troubled by this problem. But Wayanad is the only plateau area in Kerala. That is, an area with high and low mounds of soil, stones and trees and plants growing on them.
According to the study of Geological Survey of India for the year 2021, 43 percent of the entire area of Kerala is landslide prone area. 74 percent of Idukki’s land and 51 percent of Wayanad’s land are hill slopes. That means the possibility of landslide is very high. On top of that, there is terrible rain during monsoon. Who does not remember the floods of 2019 and 2020?
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The most sloping area in Kerala is in the Western Ghats of 1848 square kilometers. That is, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Mallapuram, Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. Most cases of landslides occur in these districts. In total, eight districts of Kerala had witnessed 80 landslide incidents in the year 2019. In just three days. 120 people were killed in this. In 2018, 341 major landslides occurred in ten districts. 143 landslides in Idukki alone. 104 people had died.
Rainfall in different areas of Wayanad in the last 24 hours
Vyatiriḥ 28 centimeters (280 millimeters/11 inches)
Manantoddi: 20 centimeters (200 millimeters/7.87 inches)
Karapuzhah 14 centimeters (140 millimeters/5.51 inches)
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Earlier such incidents used to happen less in Kerala. But it has increased rapidly since last few years. In the year 2019, there was 4000 mm rainfall in Kurichiyamala area of Wayanad. Whereas the average rainfall in a decade is only 2200 mm. That means there is a constant threat of severe rain.
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 the 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.
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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 with rain, then its weight increases. But strength ends. Slips.
Change in land use is a big problem
The National Center for Earth Studies had made a map of a hazard zone. About a decade ago. The area was safe then. Now he has become dangerous. Of the landslides that occurred in Vythiri in Wayanad in 2018-19, 41 percent occurred around houses built on the slopes. 29 percent happened on the roadside.
17 percent occurred around commercial lands. 10 percent occurred in areas with trees and plants. Only 3 percent is in the forest. That means, this kind of natural disaster occurs only after change in land use. Random construction in the name of infrastructural development leads to such disasters.
Also read: Climate Change: Climate change is changing the pattern, rainfall is shifting towards north… the situation will remain the same for the next 20 years.
How is the entire geographical area of Wayanad?
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.
The biggest landslide so far in Wayanad
150 acres of land was submerged due to landslide in Kurichiyamala area of Wayanad. 130 acres of tea plantation and 20 acres of agricultural land. 17 families had lost their homes. In the year 2020, Mundakki area received 900 mm of rain continuously in three days. But the administration had sent people to safe areas. As soon as the rain stopped, a big landslide occurred the next day.