Tharoor Calls for Ground Sensors to Predict Landslides in Kerala

Following deadly landslides in Kerala's Wayanad district, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor advocates for on-ground sensor grids to improve landslide prediction. Tharoor highlights Kerala's ecological fragility and the challenges of climate change, emphasizing the limitations of remote sensing alone. He urges focus on rescue efforts amid political debates over disaster warnings.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has emphasized the need for on-ground sensor grids to better predict landslides in Kerala, following a devastating series of landslides that claimed at least 167 lives in the state's Wayanad district on Tuesday.

Speaking to NDTV, Tharoor highlighted the ecological fragility of Kerala and the increasing challenges posed by climate change. He stressed that remote sensing alone is insufficient for accurate landslide prediction, stating, "Experts are saying this is not enough and that we need to have sensor grids on the grounds to be able to anticipate landslides. We don't have that...we need more real-time data gathering."

The Thiruvananthapuram MP's comments come amid a political row between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over whether the state received adequate warning about the impending disaster. Tharoor urged for politics to be kept aside during such humanitarian crises, emphasizing the focus should be on rescue efforts.

Tharoor pointed out the unpredictability of the situation, noting that while a rainfall of 62 mm was forecast for the affected areas, they actually received 322 mm. "Now what do you do when it rains so much?" he questioned.

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The congressman also shared grim statistics, mentioning reports of over 200 deaths, 500 houses destroyed, and potentially hundreds more people trapped under debris. "It is really a very sad day," he remarked.

As Kerala grapples with this tragedy, Tharoor's call for improved landslide prediction methods underscores the urgent need for enhanced disaster preparedness in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and the ongoing impacts of climate change.