Updated By: LatestGKGS Desk
Geography: Landslides - Why is landslides a havoc?
Landslides Definition, Reason, Possible scenarios, Possible Actions
When a large mass of rock or soil falls suddenly and unevenly, very rapid movements take place.
Landslides usually occurs in mountain regions.
Or artificially too ,when humans cut out the hilly areas for making roads and rail lines.
Along with it Earthquakes or Volcanic disturbances also loose the rocks and this results in landslides.
But landslides are often caused by rainwater.
The water gets deposited in the bedding planes of the rocks and due to which one layer slides over the other and thus landslides take place.
Few other reasons are:
Rise in the groundwater.
Increase in hydrostatic pressure.
Volcanic eruptions.
Blasting and Mining.
Landslides that occur under the sea can generate Tsunamis.
and the massive ones are hundreds of meter high.
However, the major reason behind the landslides is the clearing of natural vegeation.
For example:
Cameron Highlands have minor slumps and slides because their steep slopes have been cleared
because of the removal of the plant covering ,water penetrates into the soil and rocks and causes destructive Landslides.
South Wales , British Columbia , Hong Kong are the other landslides affected parts of the world.
