Two Landslides Hit Munnar, Claiming One Life

Quick Summary

• Incident Details:

– Two major landslips occurred near the old Government College in Munnar on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway.
– The first landslip took place at 10 p.m. on July 26, trapping a moving lorry. Driver Ganeshan (58) died, and helper Murukan (50) sustained injuries.
– The second landslip happened at around 5 a.m. on July 27, depositing soil and rocks approximately 20 meters wide and one meter high onto the road.

• Traffic Impact:

– Traffic on the Munnar-Bodimettu stretch has been suspended by district authorities until further notice.

• Debris Clearance:

– NHAI requires excavators to remove debris but cautioned that conditions could lead to more mudslides.

• Rainfall Details:

– Heavy rainfall totaling over 150 mm in the last 24 hours has been reported in Munnar’s devikulam Taluk.

• Past Context:

– In August 2018, heavier rains caused a similar landslip at this location, destroying part of an operational college building.

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Indian Opinion Analysis

The repeated occurrence of landslips highlights vulnerabilities inherent to hill station regions like Munnar during extreme weather events. While substantial rainfall is common during Kerala’s monsoon season, these incidents underscore the importance of preventive infrastructure planning rather than post-disaster response alone. Clearing debris from national highways may restore connectivity but does not address root causes such as inadequate slope management or deforestation exacerbating soil erosion.

Long-term resolutions ought to emphasize enduring development practices. Authorities must review safety measures for buildings located close to unstable terrain-a lesson clearly reaffirmed by this site’s history sence its damage in 2018. Moreover, warnings about further possible slides reiterate how ongoing climate dynamics challenge human settlement patterns in ecologically sensitive zones like Idukki district.

for local residents reliant on mountain thoroughfares for mobility and trade,continued disruptions pose important challenges until mitigation strategies-both structural and ecological-gain precedence over reactive rebuilding efforts.

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