The Chooralmala landslide was caused by a small crack in the rock at Vellarimala, as explained by Dr. K.S. Sajin Kumar, a prominent geologist and assistant professor in the geology department at Kerala University. This small crack, which later expanded significantly by April 2024, went unnoticed. Heavy rainfall later intensified the conditions, leading to a massive landslide in June that destroyed three villages.
The landslide debris formed a dam-like accumulation of rocks, soil, and trees near Seethammakkundi in Mundakkai, which caused further damage.The landslide was primarily triggered by extreme rainfall, with 586 millimeters of rain falling within two days, and water flowing at a velocity of 28.24 kilometers per second in Chooralmala.The volume of soil and rock displaced was equivalent to the load carried by approximately 2,288,100 trucks.The economic loss due to soil erosion alone was estimated at 5720 crore INR.There was no human intervention that caused the landslide; it was a natural event worsened by heavy rain.Studies led by Kerala University brought these findings to light.Experts emphasized the need for early warning systems, risk mapping, and disaster preparedness modeled after successful systems like those in Japan.