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Question: “The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides. “Discuss the causes and suggest
suitable measures of mitigation.
Solution
The various causes of frequent landslides on the Himalayas can be divided into-
Rapid urbanization and the changing patterns of land use in the Himalayas are the most
common cause of the landslides in Himalayas.
Increased deforestation and mining activities like quarrying and blasting are very
frequent on the Himalayan hills due to agriculture.
A huge increase in industrialisation which has led to weather disturbances and climate
change.
The southern slope of Himalayas is very steep compared to its northern slope forming a
hog back shape. The steep gradient renders the region prone to landslides.
This region also receives significant precipitation. Rainfall decreases the stability of soil
and rocks and reduces friction for it to fall more easily. This lubrication effect is
accentuated during cloud burst which occurs frequently in the Himalayan region due to
its topography.
Landslides are very generally caused in association with natural calamities like floods,
earthquake, cloudbursts, volcanic eruptions, etc.
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NATURAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION: Digital Assignment I- 16BIT0287
Hazard mapping by demarcating areas prone to landslides and avoiding stress on those
areas for settlement
Construction of the retention walls to avoid the land from slipping.
Practise measures which help to check soil erosion like terrace farming, contour
ploughing, etc.
Implementing surface drainage control works to control the movement of landslide along
with rain water and spring flows.
Proper planning of developmental processes following sustainable methods.
Such activities have disrupted the ecological balance, thereby resulting in loosening of
the soil. During the heavy rain, this leads to soil erosion and frequent landslides.
Question: Briefly explain any one flood control measures to reduce the impact of flood
disaster.
Solution:
There are a number of flood control measures that help to reduce the impact of flood disaster like
Introducing better flood warning systems, modifying homes and businesses to help them
withstand floods, Construct buildings above flood levels, tackling climate change, increasing
spending on flood defences, introducing water storage areas.
One of the above is Flood defences.
FLOOD DEFENCES
Rivers which are prone to the flooding should be very carefully managed. A huge number of
flood defence systems such as bunds, levees, weirs and reservoirs are used to prevent rivers from
flooding. When these methods fail, emergency tactics such as sandbags come into use.
One such flood defence system that helps to reduce the impact of floods is the SCFB. The self-
closing flood barrier (SCFB) is a flood defence system which was designed to protect property
and people from floods caused by rapid melting snow or heavy rainfall. The SCFB is built to
protect the residential, industrial properties and whole communities. The barrier system is always
ready to be deployed in the flood situation, and it can be installed to any length and uses the
rising flood water level to be deployed.
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NATURAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION: Digital Assignment I- 16BIT0287