2020 Kerala floods

On 7 August 2020, due to heavy rainfall in the monsoon season, severe floods affected Kerala, India. The floods resulted in the death of at least 22 people. Kerala was also flooded in 2018 and 2019.[1] Heavy rains in Idukki have caused severe landslide in Munnar in which at least 52 people died and nearly 19 were reported missing.[2] As a security measure during the prevailing situation of heavy rains, the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for the 3 districts of Wayanad, Kozhikkode and Idukki. An orange alert was also issued for five districts.[3] On the same day, the Air India Express Flight 1344 carrying 191 people crashed in Kerala, resulting in the death of 18 people and the wounding of several others. This was because the runway of Calicut airport was flooded and visibility was less because of heavy rain.[4] On 9 August 2020, 49 people died during a landslide at a tea plantation in Rajamala.[5] The state is reeling under damage to property worth Rs 19,000 crore, death of people, livestock and heavy loss to agriculture, especially in Kuttanad, Alappuzha, also known as ‘Kerala’s Rice Bowl’ and the state has submitted a comprehensive plan to Central government to improve the disaster management capacity of the state.[6]

A flooded road at Angamally in 2020

2020 Kerala floods
Date7 August 2020 (2020-08-07)-25 August 2020 (2020-08-25)
LocationKerala, India
CauseHeavy rain
Discharges
Landslide
holding back dam water
Deaths132+
Property damage19,000 Crores
Websitewww.keralarescue.in

Causes

The unnatural increase in rainfall was caused by a monsoon surge, which was aided by a strong Somali Current or Somali Jet and a low-pressure on the Bay of Bengal which dragged strong monsoon winds towards the Western Coast of India. Westerly winds were exceptionally strong at the 850 hPa level, which helped the monsoon currents to penetrate into the ghats. Though the normal rainfall for Kerala for the entire month of August is only 427mm, the state received 476mm in the first ten days of August itself.[7]

Humanitarian Response

Kerala's State Disaster Management Authority, Kerala police along with the Indian Air Force, civilians, volunteers, fishermen from coastal Kerala are actively taking part in the rescue operations in flood-affected regions. 545 Relief Camps were opened by the Government of Kerala and 12121 inmates were admitted into these relief camps. As part of humanitarian response from NGO's - IAG Kerala, RedR India and Sphere India conveyed a meeting on Palakkad for the preparedness and response plan with respect to the ongoing heavy rainfall situation and all districts Inter Agency Group (IAGs) are activated in the State on August 8th.

See also

References
  1. "Dozens feared dead in India landslide after floods". 8 August 2020 – via BBC News.
  2. "Toll in Idukki Landslide Rises to 52 as Three More Bodies Recovered". News 18. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  3. "Kerala rains: 22 dead in Idukki landslide, search resumes for 43 missing".
  4. "Air India jet breaks in two in Kerala, killing 18". BBC News. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  5. Tea plantation landslide kills 49 in India as more feared buried
  6. Rai, Arpan (22 August 2018). "A Step at a Time: How Kerala Can Start Picking up the Pieces". TheQuint. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  7. "Dip in rainfall,but State to remain on alert". The Hindu. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
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