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Azerbaijan escapes massive landslides in 2014

09 January 2015 [14:32] - TODAY.AZ

/By AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

In 2014, no serious landslide was reported in Azerbaijan. The landslide zones on the territory of Azerbaijan were not very active in 2014, Geography Institute of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences reported.

The only related activity was noted at the landslide area in the village Muganli in Ismayilli region, Mirnuh Ismayilov, a leading research fellow at the Department of Landscape and Spatial Planning of the Institute said.

During spring, activation of landslide areas, particularly the southeastern slope of the Greater Caucasus are highly expected, Ismayilov stressed.

The slope of the Greater Caucasus is the most active landslide area in the country. Many roads and settlements are located in the area where a threat of landslides is highly expected.

The biggest threat of landslides exists in the southeast, northeast slope of the Greater Caucasus, in the valley of the Girdimanchay River, on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, as well as on the territory of Guba, Gusar, Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Gobustan regions.

"Landslides also occur in the mountainous parts of the Goy-Gol, Lerik, Goranboy regions. However, landslides are not typical of these areas, and they are insignificant here," Ismayilov reported.

Over 61 percent of the territory of village Muganli in Shamakhi region are exposed to serious risk of landslides, the institute stressed.

About 120 houses in this village are in poor condition and 59 of them have already been moved to the new settlements. At present, the process of replacing homes to the safer area continues.

Earlier, the landslide zone in the village was explored using new modern methodology- viewing images from space.

“It is possible to remotely examine the degree of geological risk of landslides and the level of environmental safety of these territories by this method,” Ismayilov said.

The number of areas in Azerbaijan that are prone to landslides has increased by four times in the past 24 years, the Geography Institute reported in December 2014.

In 1990, landslides were recorded in 103 settlements in Azerbaijan and now the figure has reached 400.

Scientists believe that people are behind 80 percent of the landslides by their agricultural activity which increases the risk of landslides.

The prolonged drought was observed in Azerbaijan last summer, which caused mudflows in the mountainous areas. The drought created a ground for further mudslides last year.

In November 2014, prolonged rains have triggered several landslides in the southern region of the country. Landslides are usually reported in spring and autumn in Azerbaijan.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/society/138241.html

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