Meppadi: Noted earth studies expert and former scientist at the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) Dr John Mathai, who is heading a team of experts assessing the Mundakkai-Chooralmala region for the cause of the disaster, on Thursday, said the slopes of Punchirimattam, the origin of the landslide, were no longer safe for habitation. He, however, said barring the river bank, Chooralmala was still habitable.
Talking to the media after visiting the stretch between Punchirimattam and Chooralmala, Dr John said it was dangerous to live close to the stream at Punchirimattam as it's a landslide-prone area. "It is better to avoid such places while constructing houses,” he said. Commenting on the future of houses that survived the landslide at Punchirimattam, he said: "The possibility of a calamity is still lurking in the area. Hence, it is advisable to move."
Referring to the reasons for the devastating impact, Dr John hinted at the torrential rain that lashed the area. “Within two days, the region received as much as 570 mm of rain. There are many such landslide-prone zones where continuous rain with over 300 mm of rainfall would cause landslides. We will submit a detailed report to the state government enlisting safe and unsafe zones for habitation in the region within 10 days,” he said.
Responding to a query about whether construction can be allowed in Chooralmala in the future, Dr John said it was a policy-level decision to be taken by the government. However, he warned against living close to the river. "Now the river has acquired its space. It is important that we let the river flow through its acquired space,” he added.
On the reasons for landslide debris flowing up to 8 km downstream, he said the uprooted trees from the forests in Punchirimattam, along with soil and rocks, led to a dam-like formation at Seethammakkundu after the first landslide. "By the second landslide, the formation broke, unleashing all that water and debris downstream, resulting in a much more devastating catastrophe,” he pointed out. “The potential energy of the dam-like mix of water, trees, rock and soil, was converted into a kinetic energy, which increased during the flow, carrying even boulders in the second landslide," he added.
Appointed by the State Disaster Management Authority, the assessment team, besides Dr John Mathai, include Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) Kozhikode principal scientist Dr T K Drissia, Surathkal NIT Associate Prof Dr Sreevalsa Kolathayar, Wayanad District Soil Conservation officer Thara Manoharan and Kerala Disaster Management Authority hazard and risk analyst P Pradeep.
