MARSAC expert fears more natural disasters
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 02 2022: Makhuam village in Noney district, where a massive landslide that occurred on the intervening night of June 29 and 30 killed several people, reportedly falls under the epicentre of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the state and its neighbouring areas in the wee hours of January 4, 2016 .

According to an expert of Manipur Remote Sensing Application Centre (MARSAC), two lineaments (large crack with hollow inside soil) still exist around Makhuam village and the place having lineaments could fall anytime.

Accordingly, human settlement and construction in the area having unfamiliar lineament is dangerous and people should avoid venturing in these areas, the expert said.

In an exclusive interview with The People's Chronicle, the MARSAC expert said that Marangching hilltop was the epicentre of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred on January 4, 2016 and the landslide that hit Makhuam village is very close to the epicentre (Kabui Khullen village) of the said tremor.

Several large lineaments were detected at the epi centre of 2016 earthquake at Marangching hill when a team of experts from the Department of Space, Government and India and MARSAC conducted a survey.

Soil at the epicentre area was found be to very loose and formed by 'dis-hang' cell type soil.

On the possible reason behind occurrence of a mas sive landslide at Makhuam village, the MARSAC expert said that the loose soil cou pled with storage of large quantity of water inside the lineament during rain since 2016 till date led to the landslide.

It was very regretful that no tree or bamboo were grown around the area having lineaments and landslide hit area and hence soil of the area could not be fastened, the expert said, adding that one clear example of the area having lineament is frequent dumping of soil at Thumbuthong bridge connecting Brahmapur and Yaiskul in Imphal.

The expert further said that the landslide at Sirarakhong in Ukhrul district too was due to presence of lineament and human settlement and structural construction should be avoided at such areas as there are huge hole underneath though fasten with the outer layer of earth.

According to the MARSAC expert, two big lineaments still exist in Makhuam village area and two minor landslides occurred at the area on Saturday.

In view of likely occurrence of landslide anytime, human settlement and construction activities should be avoided in the area having lineaments, the expert suggested, adding that construction of Territorial Army (TA) camp at the lineament area could have been done due to lack of prior knowledge or proper inspection.

The MARSAC expert also stressed the need for proper inspection on the large railway tunnel near Marangching as the place had lineament in the past.

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