Tag: indian natural disasters

On 30 July 2014, a landslide occurred in the village of Malin in the Ambegaon taluka of the Pune district in Maharashtra, India. The landslide, which hit early in the morning while residents were asleep, was believed to have been caused by a burst of heavy rainfall, and killed at least 151 people. The landslide was first noticed by a bus driver who drove by the area and saw that the village had been overrun with mud and earth. In addition to those dead, more than 160 people, and possibly up to 200, were believed to have been buried in the landslide in 44 separate houses. Rains continued after the landslide making rescue efforts difficult.

Keeping in view the terms of reference of the Core Group, the Government of India has declared the Geological Survey of India as the ‘Nodal Agency’ on 29 January 2004.

Geological Survey of India as a Nodal Agency is responsible for:

1. Coordinating and undertaking geological studies for landslide hazard mitigation
2. Carrying out landslide hazard zonation
3. Monitoring landslides and avalanches
4. Studying the factors responsible for sliding and suggesting precautionary as well as preventive measure
5. National Core Group has finalized the action plan for landslide studies with inputs of GSI and other organization.

A sturzstrom is a long-runout landslide that involves a large volume of rock and debris, often moving at high speeds.

Coastal erosion is confined to southwest monsoon season when the waves are rough. Seawalls and groynes are the major management strategies adopted for coastal protection along Kerala coast. As per Shoreline Change Assessment data, about 63 percent of the coastline of Kerala is eroding.