East Khasi Hills DC issues advisory on potential landslide areas

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 7, 2024

The Deputy Commissioner and Chairman District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), SC Sadhu, IAS, has issued a comprehensive advisory to residents of East Khasi Hills District to raise awareness and enhance preparedness against potential landslides.

The advisory highlights key areas prone to landslides, early warning signs, and essential do’s and don’ts to ensure safety.

The advisory specifies that landslides generally occur in the following areas:

On existing old landslides.
On or at the base of slopes.
In or at the base of major drainage hollows.
At the base or top of an old fill slope.
At the base or top of a steep cut slope.

Features that Might Be Noticed Prior to Major Landsliding:

Springs, seeps, or saturated ground in areas that have not typically been wet before.
New cracks or unusual bulges in the ground, street pavement, or sidewalks.
Soil moving away from foundations.
Tilting or cracking of concrete floors and foundations, broken waterlines, and other underground utilities.
Leaning telephone poles, trees, retaining walls, and fences.
Sticking doors and windows and visible open spaces indicating jammed frames.
Unusual sounds, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together, which might indicate moving debris.
A trickle of flowing or falling mud or debris may precede large landslides. Moving debris can flow quickly and sometimes without warning.
A faint rumbling sound that increases in volume as the landslide nears.
Be aware that intense, short bursts of rain may be particularly dangerous, especially after longer periods of heavy rainfall and damp weather.

Do’s:

Stay calm and alert. Many debris flow fatalities occur when people are sleeping.
Follow evacuation orders and instructions from local authorities.
Seek higher ground or move to an elevated location.
Move indoors to the upper floors, away from doors and windows.
Stay away from steep slopes, cliffs, or hillsides.
Avoid driving through areas known to be susceptible to landslides, especially during or after heavy rainfall.
Move away from landslide paths or downstream valleys quickly without wasting time.
Keep drains clean.
Inspect drains for litter, leaves, plastic bags, rubble, etc.
Keep the weep holes open.
Identify areas of rockfall, subsidence of buildings, and cracks that indicate landslides and move to safer areas.
Ensure that the toe of slopes is not cut, remains protected, and do not uproot trees unless revegetation is planned.
Listen for unusual sounds such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together.