Wayanad Wrecked: Satellite Images Reveal Landslide Devastation

Wayanad Landslide: As the death toll in the devastating landslides in Kerala's Wayanad continues to rise, the before and after images show that about 86,000 square meters of land slipped and the debris flowed for about 8 kilometres along the Iruvaiphuzha River.  High-resolution images taken by Indian satellites show the widespread damage and devastation caused by landslides in Kerala's Wayanad. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) report also presented evidence of an old landslide at the same location, suggesting its vulnerability was documented.

The National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC), Hyderabad a part of the Indian Space Research Organization deployed its highest resolution Cartosat-3 optical satellite and the RISAT satellite that is capable of seeing through cloud cover. The space agency said the landslide was initiated at an altitude of 1550 meters above the sea level.

ISRO has identified evidence of a historic landslide at the same location. The National Remote Sensing Center utilized the Cartosat-3 and RISAT satellites to peer through cloud cover. According to the NRSC report, "a significant debris flow was initiated by intense rainfall in and around the Chooralmala town of Wayanad District, Kerala, India."

Earlier this year, ISRO created a comprehensive "Landslide Atlas of India," documenting 80,000 landslides from the last 20 years. In the Landslide Atlas of India, Wayanad was ranked 13th among 147 districts across 17 states and two Union Territories. Meanwhile, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode are ranked third, fifth, seventh, and tenth, respectively.  

Wayanad Landslide

Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains hit Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha hamlets in the early hours of Tuesday, killing nearly 300 people, including women and children, so far. Further, 221 people were admitted to hospitals from the disaster-hit areas and of them 91 are still under treatment. According to the government's official estimate on Wednesday evening, 191 people were missing. Official sources indicate the actual number may be higher.

State Revenue Minister K Rajan, who is in the disaster-struck region coordinating the rescue efforts, said the authorities are yet to finalise the number of missing people.

"Initially, we used the voter list to identify the missing persons. But since it does not contain the details of the children, we are now relying on ration cards and other details. We are trying to identify the missing people by checking the ration card details and with the help of Asha workers and the anganwadi workers," he told reporters.

In landslide-hit areas, rescue operators are battling challenges including waterlogged soil, as they search through destroyed homes and buildings for survivors or bodies.

With search operations underway in the calamity-ravaged Mundakkai, rescue workers said heavy machinery was required to remove the huge trees uprooted in the landslides that also buried several houses.

"We are standing on the terrace of a building and a stench is emanating from underneath, indicating the presence of bodies. The building is fully covered with mud and uprooted trees," a rescue operator said.

He said that excavators were available for the operations, but they are insufficient for the task.

"Heavy machinery is required to remove the huge trees and carry out search operations in the collapsed buildings. Only then can we make progress in the search operations," he added.