‘Remote sensing not enough, need sensors on ground’: Shashi Tharoor on predicting landslides

Speaking on the landslides in Kerala's Wayanad, Tharoor, who is from the southern state, pointed to how Kerala is ‘ecologically very fragile.’

Remote sensing alone is not enough to anticipate landslides, according to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, whose home state, Kerala, was struck by landslides on Tuesday, with at least 167 lives lost.

In this handout photograph taken on July 31, 2024 and released by the Indian Army, security and relief personnel conduct a search and rescue operation after landslides in Wayanad. Relentless downpours and howling winds on July 31). (Photo by INDIAN ARMY / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO /INDIAN ARMY" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

“Landslides are very difficult to predict…the fundamental reality is that Kerala is ecologically very fragile. In the last few years alone, we have had major challenges, including climate change. The challenge is how do we predict these so that people can be evacuated before the worst,” Tharoor, the Lok Sabha member from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram seat, told NDTV.

“We rely heavily on remote sensing…but experts are saying this is not enough and that we need to have sensor grids on the grounds to be able to anticipate landslides. We don't have that…we don't have an on-ground sensor grid. We need more real-time data gathering,” he added.

On Wednesday, a war of words broke out after Union home minister Amit Shah said that the state was warned in advance, prompting a counter from Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Reacting to the spat, Tharoor mentioned that it was ‘necessary to keep politics apart from humanitarian issues such as this.’

“I don't think that a blame game is where we should be going when lives are at stake and we are trying to rescue people. The (rain) forecast (for the landslide-hit areas in Wayanad) was 62 mm but they got 322 mm…now what do you do when it rains so much?” the Congress leader asked.

Tharoor further stated that he had heard that there have been more than 200 deaths in the natural disaster.

“I am hearing of over 200 deaths and 500 houses destroyed…and perhaps a couple of more hundred people trapped under the debris. So it is really a very sad day,” he remarked.