New Delhi: The situation in Wayanad, Kerala, remains critical as three landslides, occurring within a mere four-hour window, have claimed the lives of around 60 people. The heavy rain has left hundreds feared trapped in the landslides, with the potential for more casualties. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies are on the ground, conducting rescue operations in the hilly areas near Meppadi. This urgent situation in Wayanad brings to mind the devastating landslide of 1998 when an entire village was swept away in Uttarakhand (then Uttar Pradesh).
1998 Malpa Landslide
About Malpa
Malpa, previously a remote Himalayan hamlet consisting of only seven huts, was an important night stop for pilgrims travelling on the Kailash Manas Sarovar Yatra until 1998. The village was at the foot of a steep, nearly vertical rock slope that overlooked the valley. The location of the rock mass near major tectonic plates, substantial rainfall seeping into the porous rock and the resultant stress on the rock formations all contributed to frequent landslides in the area. Furthermore, a report from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology suggested that the earthquakes of 1979 and 1980 played a significant role in these occurrences.
What happened on August 18, 1998?
The 1998 Malpa landslide in the Himalayas was a colossal event, one of the most devastating landslides in India’s history. It occurred on August 18, wiping away the entire village of Malpa in the Kali Valley of the higher Kumaon region. The landslide was triggered by massive rock falls that began on August 16, claiming the lives of more than 250 people, including 60 Hindu pilgrims en route to Tibet as part of the Kailash Manas Sarovar Yatra. The sheer scale of this disaster is a testament to the immense forces of nature.
This catastrophic event underscored the precarious geological conditions in the Himalayan region, linked to the northward drift of the Indian plate. The village of Malpa was left buried under a heap of rocks two stories high, and despite extensive rescue efforts, only 32 bodies were recovered from the site. The collapsed mountain was immovable, hampering recovery efforts and altering the course of the Kali River.
It is also believed that famous Indian dancer Protima Bedi was among the casualties.
What caused the landslide?
The landslide, which continued until August 21, resulted in approximately one million cubic meters of rock fall and debris flow, partially blocking the Kali River, also known as the Sharda River. The incident was attributed to natural disasters in the area, exacerbated by unplanned construction and urbanisation on unstable materials produced by active faults and thrusts. This disaster also highlights the preventable nature of such events when human activities are conducted with a deep understanding of the local geological conditions.
The steep, almost vertical slopes of rock above the valley, the proximity of the rock mass to major tectonic plates, major rainfall into the porous rock, and stress on the rock formations all contributed to the landslide.
Deforestation, a significant environmental factor, has also played a role, with a study showing that more landslides occurred in deforested areas than in forested areas.
The Himalayas are prone to natural disasters due to being a young and erosion-prone mountain range that experiences intense rainstorms and earthquakes.
Malpa Landslide (1998) is considered one of the worst landslides in India, which killed more than 250 people. Let us look back at the Malpa Landslide when it happened, and how it occurred. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
