Heavy rain triggered 10,000 landslides in Maharashtra in July 2021: Study

 

According to research data, Maharashtra could have seen up to 10,000 landslides in July 2021. The Pune-based Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM) conducted the rapid assessment.

The assessment was jointly commissioned by the Maharashtra office of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the state government's Disaster Management Authority.

Landslides in the Western Ghats have increased, and an early warning system is needed to protect infrastructure and save lives, according to the report.

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Continuous rainfall was critical in surface runoff, soil-water, and groundwater for all landslide events. Within a fortnight, the locations received about 100 mm of rainfall in five hours, causing the landslides.

In late July 2021, there were widespread landslides in Mumbai, Pune, Satara, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts. The researchers investigated 85 landslides and reported their findings and recommendations to the state disaster management.

Over 600 landslides, both small and large, were reported in 14 hours on July 22 and 23 across five districts in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, Satara, and Pune, according to the assessment. It was noted that the number of landslides in the area had been increasing exponentially since 2011.

ACWADAM field visits to affected areas revealed an average event density of five per square kilometer. If the average value was extrapolated to the hilly areas of the five districts, the area could have had nearly 5,000 slides.

If Sindhudurg, Thane, Palghar, and Nashik were included, the number of small and large landslides could have reached 10,000 in 14-16 hours, according to the study.

The assessment sought to comprehend landslides in terms of slope failures, causative factors, triggers, and material movement.

"The landslides surveyed were a random sample drawn from a larger set of hundreds of landslides in five districts of western Maharashtra," said Himanshu Kulkarni, executive director of ACWADAM.

The presence of natural springs near many landslides was a common observation. This would result in landslide spring discharge and the formation of new springs in the surrounding areas, he added.

A large number of landslides occurred on forested slopes dominated by older trees.

"It is assumed that forest cover will act as a buffer against high water runoff." However, the combination of water pressures, wind speed, and the tall growth of old trees played a significant role in triggering the slopes," said Uma Aslekar, the assessment's executive director.

According to Aslekar, geological and hydrological factors, as well as anthropogenic disturbances in the region, aided in the initiation of a landslide.

According to the Geological Survey of India (GSI), approximately 30% of Maharashtra is prone to landslides.

"Because these events occur in such a short period of time, an early warning system is required to minimize loss of life, property, and livelihood." "It is estimated that Goa and Karnataka followed the same pattern as the Western Ghats," she added.

Landslides should not be viewed in isolation, according to Yusuf Kabir, a UNICEF field office worker in Maharashtra. As a climate change environment specialist, Kabir is in charge of water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as disaster risk reduction.

"Landslides are one of the manifestations of increasing climate variability," Kabir explained, "which leads to changes in disaster prone zones, shifting climates, and more rainfall in fewer days."

Based on their findings, the scientists proposed recommendations that will serve as a warning to the administration.

One of the suggestions, according to Aslekar, is to install anchored slope columns across vulnerable slopes. Another option is to install an automated rain gauge that records real-time data for weather monitoring.

"Another recommendation is to measure spring discharge in susceptible springs along the slopes in the village vicinity using manual techniques with a bucket and stopwatch," she said, adding that groundwater levels should also be monitored.

Alsekar stated that the research aims to assist local and state disaster management agencies in preventing major loss of life and property by implementing the EWS.

"Some districts have already begun installing rain gauges and other equipment to alert them to potential disasters." "However, long-term research is required to assess additional vulnerabilities," she added.

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