Over just two weeks, the Indian state of Mizoram has recorded a staggering 771 landslides, mudslides, and landslips, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre, reported Dynamite News.
What's happening?
The relentless rainfall, beginning on May 24, has upended life across Northeast India. Over 450 families have been displaced, with the majority forced out due to landslides and mudslides alone.
More than 270 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and roads have been blocked at 321 locations.
Tragically, officials reported to Dynamite News that five lives have already been claimed, highlighting the growing human toll of this ongoing disaster. In some areas, cemeteries have been swept away, leaving graves exposed by soil collapse.
Why are these weather conditions concerning?
Landslides are not new to hilly regions like that of Mizoram, but events of this scale are anything but normal. Scientists agree that as global temperatures rise, so do the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
Landslides are incredibly destructive and even more dangerous. They can destroy homes, displace families, block critical roads, and, in worst-case scenarios, take lives.
When rainfall increases faster than the ground can absorb it, saturated soil gives way, especially in areas where infrastructure may already be weak. Scientists are currently developing technology to identify the areas most susceptible to landslides.
This isn't an isolated trend, as similar disasters have made recent headlines. In China's Yunnan province, for instance, devastating flooding rains have been wreaking havoc on infrastructure. Extreme storms are hitting harder and more often across the globe.
What's being done about these floods?
Disaster response teams in Mizoram are actively working to restore road access, assist displaced families, and mitigate further damage, according to Yugmarg. But issues like these require more long-term solutions.
Steps like reforestation and investment in early warning systems can help communities become more resilient. Reducing pollution and shifting to cleaner energy sources can also limit the warming that fuels these storms in the first place.
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