What is a landslide: its danger and consequences

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

The natural environment even now, in the twenty-first century, is capable of presenting dangerous surprises to a person. Not all phenomena can be prevented in time and protect people from their consequences. However, as you know, forewarned is forearmed. Let's get acquainted with what a landslide is and how you can deal with it.

Characteristic

Settlements and residential buildings located on the banks of a river, lake, sea, ravine or steep hill can become victims of this cataclysm. He manifests himself in the most imperceptible way, which is where the danger lies. Over time, the ground begins to shift, dragging all ground structures with it. Moreover, a layer of earth, carried away by gravity, can move slowly or quickly, by several meters per year or per minute. The reason for the phenomenon lies in the destructive effect of water. It washes away slopes or rocks, saturates them with moisture. Thus, it is possible to determine what a landslide is, which is also considered the most “calm” natural disaster. These phenomena are nothing more than an abrupt shift of loose masses of soil or rocks along an inclined plane.

Causes of a landslide

An earthquake can move a layer of earth or rocks. Human activities can also have a devastating impact. For example, blasting. This natural phenomenon occurs if the stability of rocks or soils is disturbed, especially if there is a waterproof layer on the slope, consisting of clay. It plays the role of a lubricant. With its strong moisture, the risk of slipping of the soil increases. The adhesion between clay particles decreases. It can be said that atmospheric water, underground sources and winds serve as a catalyst for the development of a dangerous natural phenomenon. Therefore, the sliding of the soil is most often observed in the spring after the snow melts or after heavy rains. About what a landslide is and how to behave when it occurs, people whose activities are connected with the mountains, or residents of coastal areas should know. If the ground is moving at a rate of more than a meter per day, a predetermined plan of action is needed. In case of a threat of collapse, the population is evacuated.

Consequences

A natural phenomenon leads to the formation of the so-called "landslide body". It takes the form of a semicircle. A depression forms in its middle. As a result of development, collapses and landslides lead to serious consequences. Pipelines, residential buildings, roads are destroyed, serious damage is done to agricultural land. The worst thing that these cataclysms lead to is the death of people. But the first phenomenon differs from the second by the speed of the descent of soil massesor rocks. During a collapse, which is most often observed in the mountains, everything happens much faster.

The most terrible consequences of landslides

An example of the destructive power of this natural phenomenon is the case in the Crimea in 2005. This region, especially its southern part, is the most prone to slipping soil layers. In 1994, natural disasters became a real disaster for Kyrgyzstan. Landslides, moving at a speed of hundreds of meters per minute, destroyed many houses, not without loss of life. In Russia, the most dangerous regions are the Volga region - the Saratov region, Volgograd, the Kuban valley and many regions of Siberia. The Krasnodar Territory and the Black Sea coast are a place of frequent occurrence of landslides. In 2006, after the melting of snow and rain in the mountains in Chechnya, there was a mass gathering of them. Rocks, the thickness of which was up to two meters, descended from the slopes and caused the destruction of about six dozen residential buildings in several settlements. In the current year of 2014, there was a giant landslide in Afghanistan, as a result of which more than two thousand people were injured and hundreds of houses were destroyed.

Guide to action

Scientists and specialists working at special landslide stations are studying what a landslide is, and studying this natural disaster. The following signs can signal the approach of a dangerous phenomenon. Doors and windows in rooms are jammed. From the slope, from which the landslide is about to collapse, water begins to ooze. Oincident must be reported to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In this case, you need to act according to the situation. If a danger signal is received, you must first de-energize the house, turn off the gas and water supply. After that, prepare for evacuation from the premises that fell into the zone of natural disaster. After a landslide, it is very dangerous to be in a room that has suffered from a natural phenomenon. This should be done only if the threat has passed. But it is always worth checking the integrity of the gas pipeline and electrical wiring. Then be sure to inspect the integrity of the walls and ceilings. During the rescue operation, it is recommended to provide all possible assistance to specialists who eliminate the consequences of landslides and remove injured people from under the landslides.