Dark tourism happening at Wayanad disaster zone; challenge to rescue operations

KALPETTA: The large number of people arriving in Wayanad to see the disaster-hit areas is posing a challenge to rescue operations. Despite the police's constant appeals to avoid unnecessary visits to disaster-hit areas, many people are not listening. People coming to such disaster areas to see the sights is called disaster tourism (dark tourism).

Many people are visiting the disaster area. Some even enter the vacated houses and take pictures. Many are visiting the camps also. Wayanad, the backbone of Kerala's tourism sector, is shattered to pieces now. The unnecessary visits to the disaster area are happening when it is not even sure if recovery of Wayanad tourism will be possible.

Dark tourism

The term used to refer to people coming to visit disaster areas. This covers travel and visits to places associated with death, distress, calamity, violence and unpleasant paranormal activities. Graveyards, tombs, mortuaries, disaster areas, battlefields, memorials, prisons, execution sites, and crime scenes are all considered dark tourism spots. The site of the Chornobyl disaster and the site of the 9/11 attacks in the United States are dark tourism spots.

Dark tourism will not be allowed: Minister Riyas

Minister PA Mohammed Riyas said that disaster tourism will not be encouraged at all. "There are people who come thinking let's visit the place where the tragedy happened. This is dark tourism. This will not be allowed. Strict action will be taken. People should cooperate with this matter. Everyone comes with good intentions. However, people visiting together is a huge difficulty. People should understand that and take a stand. It is not wrong for people's representatives or other persons in responsible positions to come to the disaster site. They should come, understand things and give their instructions. Unnecessary arrival of people cannot be encouraged in any way."