At least 16 dead, over 100 feared trapped as landslide buries Maharashtra village

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Last Updated22/07/2023

Recently,there was a massive landslide in Irshalwadi, a hilly tribal village in Maharashtra’s Raigad district
At least 16 people were killed and over 100 feared trapped under the debris of this massive landslide

A sudden movement of rock, boulders, earth or debris down a slope is termed a landslide
Landslides are natural disasters occurring mainly in mountainous terrains where there are conducive conditions of soil, rock, geology and slope.
It includes things like earth flow, mass movement, mudflow, rotational slip and avalanches.

Natural causes: heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snow melting and undercutting of slopes due to flooding.
Anthropogenic factors: excavation, cutting of hills and trees, excessive infrastructure development, and overgrazing by cattle.
Some of the main factors that influence landslides are lithology, geological structures like faults, hill slopes, drainage, geomorphology, land use and land cover, soil texture and depth and weathering of rocks.

Adoption of Area-Specific Measures to deal with landslides.
Restriction on the Construction in Certain Areas like high vulnerability zones
Hazard mapping to locate areas prone to landslides
- Such areas can be avoided for building settlements.
Some positive actions like promoting large-scale afforestation programs and the construction of bunds to reduce water flow should be encouraged
Terrace farming should be encouraged in the northeastern hill states where Jhumming Cultivation is still prevalent.
Landslide Monitoring and Early Warning Systems to warn people residing in landslide-prone areas in advance.
Advancement in scientific techniques that will empower us to understand what factors cause landslides and how to manage them.