Landslides and it's Effects in Kodagu

Landslides are one of the most important geological process and they becomes hazards when they have a direct contact with human life. Kodagu district in Karnataka state lies in the south part of Western Ghats with hilly region as the topography of the region is sensitive and any change in the land use cause a landslide and slope failure affects the human life and collapse of the constructed buildings. Thus with its scenic beauty and because of some climatic condition it is also becoming known for natural disasters. According to KSNDMC the rainfall have been noted up to 25.35cm and an average rainfall of 11.9cm over the past 24 hours when the landslide occurred and due to this there have been 30-40 big landslides in the district. These have swallowed whole estates, homes. Due to this over more than 5 people were died, more than 1300 people are seeking shelter in the 26 relief camp in seven districts. Heavy rain fall during the monsoon climatic condition leads to increase in groundwater level which leads to fluctuating water table and leads to the decrease of effect of cohesion and generates pressure in the soil allowing it to the failure. The main reason for this is the infrastructural development in the form of laying new roads, widening up of the existing roads and deforestation for the construction of bridges etc….and also due to illegal quarrying and construction of buildings on river beds which involves the modification of soil strata. Thus the equilibrium attained by the nature has been deteriorated. The construction of retaining walls/structures is one of the method to solve the landslide.