Question.
Identify the Landslide-prone regions of India and suggest some measures to mitigate the disasters caused by these.
(Chapter 7 Natural Hazards and Disasters, Class 11 NCERT geography "India Physical Environment")
Answer.
A landslide is a type of terrestrial disaster. Landslides are difficult to define, however, when a large part of a rock mass falls below a slope, it is called a landslide.
Unlike other disasters, landslides are largely controlled by highly localized factors. Therefore, collecting information and monitoring landslide probabilities is not only difficult but also cost-intensive.
The following are the landslide-prone areas of India;
- very high vulnerability to landslides
- high vulnerability area to landslide
- An area of moderate to low vulnerability to landslides.
The areas with a very high and high risk of landslides include the Himalayan region, the Western Ghats, the North-Eastern region, and Andaman and Nicobar. The Himalayan region and the northeastern region are tectonically unstable regions and are made up of sedimentary rocks. The high rainfall and steep slopes of the Western Ghats cause frequent landslides in the region. Human activities like the construction of roads, dams, etc. are responsible for landslides in the area.
The areas with moderate to low risk of landslides include the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh and the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, the low rainfall region of the Aravalli region, the rain shadow region of the Eastern Ghats, and the Western Ghats. Landslides also occur in some parts of the Deccan Plateau due to mining and other human activities.
Measures for prevention of landslide disaster;
Since landslides are largely controlled by local factors, there is a need for area-specific measures to deal with landslides. Different measures are needed in different areas for the prevention of landslide disasters.
In general, some of the prevention tools for landslides are as follows;
- Landslide-prone areas should be mapped. For this, satellite images can be used.
- Large dams and road systems should be avoided in high landslide-prone areas.
- Appropriate small dams should be built to control the flow of water before construction works, such as roads, in high landslide-prone areas.
- Agricultural activities like shifting cultivation need to be limited.
- Promote large-scale afforestation programs and build necessary dams to reduce water runoff.
- In hilly areas where Jhuming (slash and burn) cultivation is prevalent, terrace farming should be encouraged.
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