Kerala's Unending Struggles: Landslides and Floods Revisited

Kerala has faced recurrent natural disasters, particularly landslides and floods, causing significant loss of life and property. The latest tragedy in Wayanad claimed 93 lives, echoing the devastating 2018 floods. State authorities continue to grapple with the aftermath, emphasizing the urgent need for environment-friendly construction and better disaster preparedness.

Massive landslides triggered by heavy rains in Kerala's hill district of Wayanad claimed at least 93 lives on Tuesday, reviving painful memories of the state's worst natural calamities.

Kerala lost 483 people during the August 2018 floods, described as the 'flood of the century'. This disaster not only claimed lives but also devastated property and livelihoods, prompting the Centre to declare it a 'calamity of severe nature'. Over 14.50 lakh people from 3.91 lakh families were rehabilitated in relief camps.

The Kerala government reported that around 57,000 hectares of crops were destroyed, with an estimated loss surpassing the state's annual budget outlay. Images of the Indian Air Force airlifting pregnant women in 2018 remain vivid in the minds of Keralites, who lauded the relentless efforts of the Indian Army, Coast Guard, Navy, and other agencies in rescuing flood victims.

Meanwhile, the 2018 floods raised alarms about the urgent need for environment-friendly construction during redevelopment. One-sixth of Kerala's population was directly affected by the calamity and its aftermath. Just as the state was recovering from the 2018 disaster, a landslide in Puthumala, Wayanad in 2019, and successive incidents in 2021 and 2022, resulted in additional loss of lives and property, bringing the total toll to hundreds over the years.

(With inputs from agencies.)