Wayanad Braces for Heavy Rainfall as IMD Sounds ‘Orange’ Alert.
In a worrying development, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange’ alert for Kerala’s Wayanad district, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall on Thursday, August 15.
This alert comes just weeks after the region witnessed a devastating tragedy, where massive landslides, triggered by incessant rain, claimed the lives of at least 229 people on July 30, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The weather department’s prediction of heavy rainfall, ranging from 7 cm to 11 cm in 24 hours, and very heavy rainfall, ranging from 12 cm to 20 cm in 24 hours, has sent shockwaves through the region, still reeling from the aftermath of the July 30 disaster.
The alert also extends to the districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur, and Kozhikode, underscoring the potential for widespread impact.
The warning comes amidst a contentious exchange between the Kerala government and the IMD, with the state accusing the weather department of failing to predict the extreme rainfall that triggered the deadly landslides in Wayanad last month.
However, the IMD has vehemently refuted these allegations, with its chief, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, asserting that the department had regularly issued forecasts for significant rainfall activity along the west coast of India and had issued a red alert for Kerala early in the morning on July 30.
Mohapatra further emphasized that an orange warning signifies the need for immediate preparedness and action, stressing that one should not wait for red warnings before taking necessary precautions.
As the region braces for another bout of heavy rainfall, a rapid analysis by scientists has shed light on the potential contributing factors to the July 30 disaster. The analysis indicates that bursts of rain made 10% heavier due to the climate crisis, coupled with a 62% reduction in forest cover, likely increased the susceptibility of slopes to landslides in Wayanad.
While acknowledging the limited nature of studies in the region, the analysis by the World Weather Attribution, an international collaboration of scientists, underscores the undeniable role of the climate crisis and changes in land-use patterns over the years in exacerbating the risk of such disasters.
As Wayanad and its neighboring districts brace for the impending rainfall, the authorities and residents alike are on high alert, determined to learn from the tragic events of July 30 and take all necessary precautions to mitigate the potential impact of the impending weather event.
