Kerala landslide: A look at India’s recent extreme weather events

• India has been grappling with extreme weather events recently, from heavy rainfall and flooding in New Delhi and Mumbai, to severe flooding in Assam and a devastating cyclone in Tamil Nadu.

• The Himalayan region of Sikkim also witnessed its worst floods in over 50 years, while Uttarakhand experienced deadly landslides.

• These calamities have resulted in numerous fatalities and widespread displacement, highlighting the urgent need for effective disaster management strategies.

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India battles extreme weather patterns

What’s the story

India has been facing a series of severe weather conditions in recent years, including torrential rain, floods, droughts, and cyclones.

On Tuesday, a devastating landslide hit Wayanad district, Kerala, claiming the lives of at least 148 people as it ravaged tea estates and residential areas.

A hundred others are feared trapped under the debris, even as rescue operations continue.

Over the last few years, India has witnessed extreme weather patterns. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Extreme weather in New Delhi, Mumbai

In June, New Delhi experienced heavy rainfall after weeks of extreme heat leading to flooding.

The heavy rains led to the collapse of the roof of Terminal-1 of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, which killed one person and injured several others.

More recently, last week, three students drowned after being trapped in a flooded basement after heavy rains in the city.

In May, Mumbai experienced thunderstorms that led to the collapse of a billboard, resulting in at least 14 fatalities.

Kerala landslide: Search operations continue

Landslide in Wayanad #Kerala
Rescue Ops by Armed Forces underway-Control Center in Calicut
Teams from DSC Centre Kannur, TA Madras actively involved alongside NDRF
Engineering Task Force, HADR columns & medical teams airlifted
Evacuation airlifts personnel @IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/mY56dceP9W

— PRO Jaipur MoD (@PRODefRjsthn) July 30, 2024

Monsoon mayhem in Assam, Tamil Nadu 

Assam also experienced severe flooding in July as several rivers overflowed due to seasonal monsoon rains.

The floods and subsequent landslides claimed at least 79 lives and displaced thousands of residents.

Over 150 animals, including rare one-horned rhinoceroses, died in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park.

In December 2023, Tamil Nadu was hit by a severe cyclone following torrential rains and flooding that resulted in at least 13 deaths.

Floods and landslides in Sikkim, Uttarakhand

Sikkim experienced its worst floods in over 50 years when a Himalayan glacial lake burst its banks due to heavy rains in October 2023, resulting in the death of 179 people.

Homes and bridges were destroyed by the floodwaters.

In February 2021, a landslide near Uttarakhand‘s second highest peak triggered flash floods that swept away two hydroelectric projects, leaving more than 200 dead.

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