Collapse: landslides caused widespread destruction in Dagestan
Powerful landslides in Dagestan have led to the destruction of more than 200 houses, about 80 farms in the most affected Dahadaevsky district are still at risk, the regional authorities said. The danger of rockfall also persists in other republics of the North Caucasus, Krasnodar Territory, Adygea and Crimea, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported. What, apart from the weather, could cause emergencies and how long this threat will persist is in the Izvestia article.
Consequences of landslides in Dagestan
Heavy rains in Dagestan, which had previously caused massive floods, caused another dangerous phenomenon — landslides. As of April 16, more than 200 houses were affected by them, said the head of the region, Sergei Melikov. Damage was caused to bridges, roads, including sections of national significance, and other infrastructure facilities.
"The most difficult situation is in the Dahadaevsky district, where more than 80 farms remain at risk," the press service of the head of the republic noted.
According to the head of the district, Magomed Abdulkadirov, "the situation is developing rapidly and threatens to worsen further." The most critical situation has developed in the village of Urkary, "where the landslide area is actively expanding, causing displacement of soil, destruction of houses and deformation of the roadway," he wrote on his social networks.
In Urkarakh, 17 residential buildings were completely destroyed, 87 more were partially damaged or destroyed. Kubachi (14 destroyed houses) and Kalkni (six) are among the other most affected settlements in the district.
Almost 180 people have been evacuated from these villages, all of them are staying with relatives. A temporary accommodation facility has also been established on the basis of the Urkarakh Gymnasium, which can accommodate 50 people if necessary. A municipal emergency regime has been introduced in the district.
"Landslide processes are continuing, accompanied by the formation of cracks, fractures and further destruction of buildings and infrastructure," Magomed Abdulkadirov added.
In Urkarakh, for example, the main water supply was damaged, which caused problems with water supply. 12 water carriers are involved in the transportation of water.
In addition to Dagestan, the likelihood of mudslides and landslides, subsidence in mountainous and foothill areas in the coming days will remain in Adygea, Crimea, Krasnodar Territory, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia reported.
Natural disasters in Dagestan began after heavy rains in late March and early April. Earlier, more than 2 thousand residential buildings were damaged due to floods, according to official data, six people died. Due to the erosion of the soil in Makhachkala, a three-story building collapsed, and in the Derbent district the dam of the reservoir burst.
Causes of landslides
The last time there were such powerful landslides in Dagestan was in 1963, Valentin Golosov, chief researcher at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia.
Due to heavy rains, a lot of water penetrated the ground, which caused the movement of landslides to accelerate significantly, and this danger will persist for many more weeks, explained Mikhail Bolgov, a hydrologist at the Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a specialist in floods and the use of water resources.
Deep-seated landslides pose a serious threat to the region, said Andrey Lukashov, Professor of the Department of Geomorphology and Paleogeography at the Moscow State University Faculty of Geography.
— They can move for years and especially intensify when atmospheric humidification goes beyond the usual limits, — said the expert.
According to Mikhail Bolgov, the development of territories and the construction of infrastructure facilities can also affect the occurrence of strong landslides.
"They could have cut the ground to clear the territory for construction, built a house on a hill that increases the load, or carried out engineering communications, for example, sewerage," he explained.
According to Andrey Lukashov, the threat of destruction of houses as a result of natural disasters is also increasing due to the fact that there are relatively few safe places to settle, so people take risks and erect houses in places that are not protected from landslides.
How to behave to residents of potentially dangerous areas
The danger of avalanches, mudslides, and landslides poses a real threat to people living in mountainous areas, Alexander Starostin, executive director of the Fire Center Group of companies and safety expert, told Izvestia.
— An interdepartmental commission has already been established in these regions, and field teams are operating to monitor the situation. Those people who live in landslide—prone areas need to be constantly prepared for emergency evacuation," he said.
Residents whose homes are in a potentially dangerous area should collect documents and valuables in advance, as well as take out their property if possible, the expert recommended. And if a landslide danger signal sounds, follow the instructions given by local governments and emergency services.
Alexander Starostin explained that it is possible to notice a landslide in advance by signs such as the appearance of liquid in the soil, where it did not exist before, and by the distortion of buildings.
— These are the first signs that ground movements are beginning. At these moments, it is necessary to evacuate in order to preserve one's own life and health," he stressed.
The expert specified that in mountainous areas, the size of a landslide can range from several meters to kilometers.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
