Pet parrot saves family from Wayanad landslide
A pet parrot named Kingini reportedly played a pivotal role in saving numerous lives from a catastrophic landslide in Wayanad, Kerala. Kingini's owner, Vinod, reported that the bird's frantic cries and erratic behavior served as an early warning sign just before the disaster struck on July 30. "Before the landslide occurred, my parrot was extremely agitated and behaving wildly," Vinod recounted from an evacuation center in Wayanad, where he is currently residing with hundreds of other evacuees.
Alerted neighbors flee to safety ahead of landslide
Upon noticing Kingini's unusual behavior, Vinod promptly alerted his friends and neighbors. Sensing the potential danger, they all evacuated in time. Among those warned was Prashant, a bank employee who was asleep until he received Vinod's call. Thanks to this timely alert, Prashant and others managed to escape the disaster that later ravaged multiple hillside villages in Wayanad that night.
Landslide causes widespread destruction in Wayanad
The landslide, originating from a peak 1.550km above sea level, wreaked havoc along an 8km-long stretch. It obliterated homes, places of worship, schools, shops, roads and vehicles. The Indian Space Research Organisation's Radar-imaging satellite (RI-Sat) estimated the extent of the landslide at 86,000 square meters. The search and rescue operation in the Wayanad landslide entered its final stages on the seventh day after claiming more than 360 lives.
Scientists attribute landslide to environmental factors
Scientists have linked the July 30 disaster to a lethal mix of forest cover loss, mining in the fragile terrain, and climate change. Over the past four years, multiple projects were reportedly approved by the Kerala government in Wayanad without conducting an exhaustive study of the region's geomorphology and topography. These factors are believed to have contributed significantly to the severity of this catastrophic event.
