Human-Caused Climate Change Intensifies Deadly Landslides in Southern India, Study Finds

A recent analysis by climate scientists revealed that human-caused climate change exacerbated the heavy rains and resulting landslides in southern India last month, which killed hundreds of people. The rapid study conducted by the World Weather Attribution group indicated that the 5.91 inches of rain recorded within 24 hours on July 29-30 was 10% more intense due to global warming.

The study warns that continued emissions of greenhouse gases will likely lead to increasingly frequent and severe downpours, causing more disasters like these.

The extreme weather, particularly in Kerala state, resulted in nearly 200 fatalities, and search efforts are ongoing for over 130 missing people. The landslides in Wayanad were noted as another tragic consequence of climate change unfolding in real-time, according to one of the study’s authors, Mariam Zachariah.

The event marked the third-highest rainfall recorded in Kerala since the India Meteorological Department began keeping records in 1901, emphasizing the growing unpredictability of the region’s weather patterns.

Erratic monsoon rains due to climate change have affected India before, as seen last year when over 400 people died in Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rains.

Scientists have emphasized the need for the world to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy to mitigate the intensification of monsoon downpours and the accompanying devastation, such as floods and landslides, that have been increasingly impacting India.

Kerala, a state already vulnerable to climate change-driven extreme weather, has faced multiple calamities in recent years. In 2018, heavy rainfall flooded large portions of the state, leading to at least 500 deaths, while a cyclonic storm in 2017 killed 250 people, including many fishermen at sea.

The situation mirrors the broader climate impacts across India, where extreme summer heat waves and increasingly severe monsoons are causing widespread destruction.

The study calls for greater action to address the impacts of climate change, including minimizing deforestation and quarrying, while enhancing early warning and evacuation systems to protect people from future disasters.

The loss of 62% of forest cover in the Wayanad region may have contributed to the landslide risks, and experts like Maja Vahlberg underscore the need for preparation, as even more intense rainfall is expected in the warming climate.