Soil condition, changing land use among triggers for Manipur landslide

The Manipur landslide which resulted in the death of 55 people last month was triggered by multiple factors, said experts in a study conducted by the state's Directorate of Environment and Climate Change.

The expert team has identified non-resistant soil condition, prevalence of micro-seismicity, besides changing land use patterns on the top of hills such as deforestation and Jhum (shifting) cultivation as some of the factors which triggered the landslides in Manipur's Noney district.

Large number of people who died belonged to the Territorial Army. Rescue operation is underway. The experts along with Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh visited the site on July 5.


The study stated, "Geologically, non-resistant lithology (shale interbedded with mudstone, siltstone and sandstone) of Barail Group exposed in the study area after the modification of the slope geometry that impedes the mountain's ability to resist the existing gravitational force may become one of the causes of mass wasting/landsliding."