Wayanad Landslides Attributed to Warming Arabian Sea: Study

New Delhi: A Recent climate research has revealed a troubling trend in Kerala’s weather patterns. The warming Arabian Sea is fostering deep cloud systems, resulting in intense, short-duration rainfall and increasing landslide risks in the region.

On Tuesday, Wayanad district experienced a series of devastating landslides triggered by extreme precipitation. The death toll has risen to at least 93, with many more feared trapped under debris.

Dr. S Abhilash, director of CUSAT’s Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research, explained that the coastal districts have been experiencing heavy rainfall due to an active monsoon offshore trough. The already saturated soil, combined with a deep mesoscale cloud system forming off the Arabian Sea coast, led to the catastrophic events in Wayanad and neighboring districts.

Climate scientists have observed a southward shift in the rain-bearing belt, traditionally more common in the northern Konkan region. This shift is attributed to the warming of the southeast Arabian Sea, which creates atmospheric instability and allows for the formation of deeper cloud systems.

The India Meteorological Department reported rainfall measurements between 19 and 35 centimeters across several districts. Some farmer-installed stations recorded over 30 centimeters of rain in a 24-hour period.