Last Updated on 01/08/2024 by wccexam Desk
Nature wreaked such havoc in Wayanad on Tuesday morning that hundreds of lives were lost. Many are injured and the number of people who have been separated from their families, left alone and estranged is also very large. A large number of people have also gone missing and among them there are many who have little hope of survival. Talking in terms of figures, so far 256 deaths have been confirmed. Due to the landslide, 4 villages have turned into rubble and now nothing is left there.
ISRO has also expressed concern about this terrible disaster and in one of its studies has said that the area in Wayanad that has been affected by the landslide is so large that more than 13 international football grounds could have been built in this area. Due to the landslide, such a large area has been submerged in the Iruvazhinji river and the people living on this area were swept away with the debris. More than 250 people have died in three villages of Wayanad in Kerala.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted an aerial survey of the landslide area on Thursday. Assessment based on satellite data revealed that about 86,000 square metres of area was reduced to rubble in the landslide. According to FIFA rules, the size of a football field to host international games should be at least 6,400 square metres. In this way, more than 13 fields could have been built here
ISRO’s analysis, based on satellite imagery captured by its RISAT-2B satellite on July 31, said the landslide mud, along with large boulders and uprooted trees, flowed for about 8 km and eventually fell into a tributary of the Cheliyar river. “The high speed of the flowing debris has widened the course of the Iravaniphuzhar river, causing its banks to breach,” ISRO said
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Those who survived the disaster still shudder when describing its horror. They call this debris a wall of mud and say that due to this, hundreds of houses and many infrastructure were buried.
At the epicentre of this disaster is the Iruvazhinji river, which originates from the hills about 3 km above Mundakkai. ISRO said the landslide occurred at an altitude of about 1500 metres above sea level.
Mapping of the terrain by India Today’s open-source intelligence (OSINT) team has revealed that the river is rapidly and steadily losing its elevation as it approaches populated areas. This also means that its currents get stronger as it flows downstream. The first town on its way, Mundakkai, is located at an elevation of about 950 metres. This means that the elevation profile of the river decreases by about 550 metres in a distance of about 3 km.
Officials said Vythiri received about 57 cm of rainfall in 48 hours, leading to the devastating incident. India Today had earlier reported that the river had witnessed a similar landslide-induced slush run in 2020. New ISRO imagery has revealed that Tuesday’s landslide occurred at the same site as the 2020 one, but this time it was much bigger and more devastating, causing severe damage.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)