IMD Issues Orange Alert In Kerala's Wayanad: Heavy Rainfall Warning After Deadly Landslides

An 'orange' alert has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Kerala's Wayanad district, warning of heavy rainfall for Thursday, August 15.

Following a landslide in Wayanad on July 30, houses were partially submerged in mud and sludge.

Photo Credit: PTI

IMD Issues Orange Alert In Kerala's Wayanad

The IMD has predicted heavy rainfall (7 cm to 11 cm in 24 hours) to very heavy rainfall (12 cm to 20 cm in 24 hours) in one or two places in Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Kannur on Wednesday, and in Kozhikode and Wayanad on Thursday. This warning comes weeks after massive landslides, triggered by heavy rain led to the death of at least 229 people on July 30, with around 130 persons still missing, as reported by Hindustan Times.

It had been earlier claimed by the Kerala government that the IMD failed to predict the extreme rainfall that triggered the landslides in Wayanad. However, the allegations were refuted by the IMD chief, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, who stated that regular forecasts for significant rainfall activity along the west coast of India had been issued, and a red alert for Kerala had been issued early in the morning on July 30.

The IMD chief also clarified that an orange warning means "be prepared for action and one should not wait for red warnings." The landslides in Wayanad have been attributed to the climate crisis by scientists, as per media reports.

A rapid analysis of the July 30 disaster indicates that bursts of rain made 10% heavier due to human-caused climate change, and a 62% reduction in forest cover, likely increased the susceptibility of slopes, triggering the landslides.

While it has been noted that studies in the region are limited, the role of the climate crisis and changes in land-use patterns over the years have been found to be undeniable.