Geography

Grey Rhino Event: Learning from the Wayanad Landslide

September 15, 2025 2 min read

Why in news?

A report titled Sliding Earth, Scattered Lives released in September 2025 described the July 2024 landslide in Wayanad district, Kerala, as a “grey rhino” event. Scientists said that years of warnings about ecological fragility and rainfall risks were ignored until disaster struck.

What is a grey rhino?

The term was coined by policy analyst Michele Wucker in her 2016 book The Gray Rhino. It refers to a highly probable, high‑impact threat that is visible and documented but often neglected until it causes major damage. Unlike “black swan” events, which are rare and unpredictable, grey rhinos are predictable and therefore actionable.

Case study: Wayanad landslide

Significance

Recognising grey rhinos helps policymakers prioritise obvious but overlooked risks. In the context of climate change, many hazards — such as coastal erosion, floods and heatwaves — are foreseeable. By acting proactively through early warning systems, strict land‑use planning and community awareness, governments can reduce the human and economic toll of disasters.

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