Experts raise red flags, pinpoint multiple causes for Manipur landslides

Imphal, July 17 Experts have identified non-resistant soil condition, prevalence of micro-seismicity, besides changing land use patterns on the top of hills such as deforestation as the cause for the recent catastrophic landslides in Manipur.

At least 55 people, including Territorial Army soldiers,railway workers and local villagers were killed in the landslides, while search operations were still underway in inclement weather to locate six missing.

The disastrous landslides at a railway construction site at Tupul in western Manipur's Noney district on June 29-30 buried alive over 60 people mostly of the Territorial Army soldiers.

After the unprecedented tragedy, Manipur's Directorate of Environment and Climate Change has formed an expert group to identify the causes of the enormous landslides.

The seven-member expert group headed by Prof. Arun Kumar of the Manipur University, has identified non-resistant soil condition, prevalence of micro-seismicity, besides changing land use patterns on the top of hills such as deforestation and unscientific "Jhum"

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