Structural changes to land after the recent floods have triggered panic among villagers in Wayanad district.
The massive destruction of land and houses owing to structural changes such as land subsidence and landslips has affected hundreds of families, including tribespeople. Though the phenomena have been reported in various parts of the district, the settlements at Plamoola, Nittara, Karimam, Chinnadi, and Vellarodi under Thirunelly grama panchayat are the worst hit.
“We found a narrow 1.5-km long fissure in my area on August 16 morning. This gradually developed into a crevasse next day,” says Krishnan of Kodukalam at the Plamoola hills, near Thrissilery. Soon all families were evacuated from the area, he said.
The structural changes caused by land subsidence and landslips destroyed nearly 20 houses, including Krishnan’s house, in the area.
“The phenomena has been found in Thirunelly, Tavinhal, Meppadi, Panamaram, Pozhuthana, and Vythiri grama panchayats and Mananthavady and Kalpetta municipalities,” P.U. Das, district soil conservation officer, Wayanad, told The Hindu.
“Heavy rain in a short period is the major reason for the structural changes,” Mr. Das said. He said the average rainfall in the district in a year was 2,400 mm, which rose to 3,800 mm from May 28 to August 29 this year. The areas that reported land subsidence received 4,825 mm rain in 80 days this year, he said.
“The plains in the district were basically marshy land, which was later converted to paddy fields. The intensity of rain revived the marshy nature of the soil. The increased weight of soil owing to water saturation led to land subsidence and landslips this year,” Mr. Das said.
Unscientific land use, destruction of topography of streams, mining for construction of houses and buildings, and loss of balance of hills after earth cutting on toe of the hills for constructions and roads also accelerated the phenomena, he said.
The heavy rain also resulted in piping, a phenomenon caused by subsurface erosion of soil, in the ecologically fragile area, Mr.Das said.
According to the Soil Conservation Department, as many as 242 land subsidence and landslip cases were reported in the district this season, affecting 1,526 families, including 253 families in Thirunelly grama panchayat.
According to preliminary reports, 676 acres has been destroyed following land subsidence and landslips.
