MU team studies Kasom Khullen landslides
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 22 2015 :
Experts have opined that heavy rainfall and earthquake were the main reasons for the huge landslides, cracks and sinking of roads witnessed at different parts of Kasom Khullen sub-division in the last week of July.
A team of Manipur University Earth Science Depart- ment led by Prof Arun Ku-mar visited different areas of Kasom Khullen on July 12 .
MU's MPGO scientist Dr S Manichandra and AECOM manager Dr Th Dolendro were also members of the team.
According to the report submitted by these experts, western and eastern parts of Ukhrul district including Kasom Khullen are located at a high seismic zone and the State received heavy rainfall in the last week of July.
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The areas located inside the radius of 30 km from Kasom Khullen had experienced 16 earthquakes of magnitudes ranging between 4 to 5 on Richter's scale between 1982 and 2015 .
On the other hand, the areas located inside the radius 50 km from Kasom Khullen had experienced 89 earthquakes of magnitudes ranging from 3.5 to 6.2 on Richter's scale during this time, said the report.
It further mentioned that a 100-metre portion of Thoubal-Kasom Khullen road constructed at 1580 metres above the mean sea level sunk to 1470 metres in the last week of July.
The report said that some houses developed 30 cm to 55 cm wide cracks while roads developed cracks as wide as 9 metres at some areas.
The report further said that Thoubal-Kasom Khullen road developed tension cracks of up to 30 cm wide and up to 90 cm deep at many areas due to heavy rainfall.
The report said that essential commodities must be transported to Kasom Khullen using helicopter as the sub-division has been totally cut off due to huge sinking of the road constructed with funds from Asian Development Bank (ADB) at Nungsithaibi.
Moreover, 30 other villages located adjoining to Kasom Khullen have also been cut from the rest of the State due to landslides, the report said.
This road must be revamped using quality earth which does erode even at the time of heavy rainfall.
Stating that soil of Kasom Khullen area has high sand presence, the report further said that preventive measures must be taken up to avert major disasters in future.