The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), on Tuesday, August 1, has stated that a large mass of 86,000 square metres of land has been displaced in the Wayanad landslide. ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) released two landslide impact maps of Chooralmala, with high-resolution images taken by satellite, depicting before and after the massive landslide that killed hundreds and injured thousands. During the wee hours of July 30, three landslides struck Mundakkai and Chooralmala causing large scale damage. The death toll in the disaster has crossed 250.
According to NRSC, a major debris flow was triggered by heavy rainfall in and around the Chooralmala town and very high resolution satellite images taken on July 31, 2024, shows that the length of the landslide flow was approximately 8 kms. “The crown zone is a reactivation of an older landslide. The size of the main scarp of the landslide is 86,000 sq m. The debris flow has widened the course of the Iruvanji Puzha river causing breach of its banks. Houses and other infrastructures located along the banks have been damaged by the debris flow,” NRSC said.
Crown zone refers to the area of land that is undisplaced and still in place after the landslide. This is the highest point of the scarp of the landslide. In Chooralmala, the crown is located at an approximate elevation of 1,550 m above sea level.