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Dying Earthworms: After Flood And Fear Of Disease Outbreak, Another Crisis Strikes Kerala
After suffering from the worst flood in decades and the fear of disease outbreak, another crisis has struck Kerala. Mass death of earthworms has been reported in districts of Idukki and Wayanad, reports The Times of India.
It is usual for earthworms to come to the surface after the rain had receded, but their mass death is entirely unprecedented, says a farmer from Wayanad district. Wayanad district had been dry since the rain abated, he added.
Earthworm deaths have also been reported in Idukki. Both scientists and state government are worried as the mass death of earthworm after the floods, and the looming possibility of a draught is bad news for farmers.
Earthworms are essential for maintaining soil fertility. Scientists have attributed the death of worms to a higher daytime temperature of 29-degree Celsius. Indian earthworms have a temperature tolerance of 21-28 degree Celsius. Kerala recorded similar kind of earthworm deaths in 2016.
Earlier, reports said that some parts of the flood-ravaged state are likely to face a severe shortage of water in the coming months.
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