Q22a. Bring out the causes for more frequent landslides in the Himalayas than in the Western Ghats.
Model Answer:
Introduction
Landslides are common natural disasters in mountainous regions, with the Himalayas experiencing more frequent occurrences than the Western Ghats due to several geological and climatic factors.
Body
Causes for frequent landslides in the Himalayas
- Geological Structure: The Himalayas comprise younger, softer rock formations, making them more susceptible to erosion and landslides compared to the older, more stable rocks of the Western Ghats.
- Seismic Activity: The Himalayas are seismically active, with frequent earthquakes triggering landslides, while the Western Ghats experience relatively low seismicity, resulting in fewer landslide events.
- Monsoonal Influence: Intense monsoon rains in the Himalayas increase soil saturation, reducing stability and triggering landslides, whereas the Western Ghats experience a more gradual rainfall distribution.
- Deforestation: Human activities like deforestation in the Himalayas weaken soil cohesion, increasing landslide risk. In contrast, the Western Ghats retain more forest cover, stabilizing slopes.
- Topographical Variation: The steep slopes of the Himalayas create a higher likelihood of landslides, while the more moderate slopes of the Western Ghats reduce this risk significantly.
- Glacial Melt: Climate change-induced glacial melt in the Himalayas leads to increased water runoff, causing slope instability, a phenomenon less pronounced in the Western Ghats.
Conclusion
The combination of geological, climatic, and human factors contributes to the higher frequency of landslides in the Himalayas compared to the Western Ghats, necessitating enhanced disaster management strategies.
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