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ShareCHANDIGARH: A high alert has been sounded in five districts of Himachal Pradesh following an incident of massive landslide that caused wide crevices resulting in outburst ofhot gasses and hot water springs near Ravana village in Sirmaour district.
The incident was noticed about there weeks ago and a team of experts comprising of scientists from Himachal PradeshCouncil for Science, Technology and Environment andDepartment of Geology, Punjab University, Chandigarh that visited the site early this month found that the landslide was triggered due to tectonic disturbances caused by the earthquake in Muzaffarabad (Pakistan) which caused widespread devastation in the region.
Muzaffarabad is about 500 kms from Ravana village and the scientists felt that the tremors caused by the earthquake there could as well spell danger in the pockets of Himachal Pradesh located in the highly-sensitive seismic zone.
Dr RK Sood, joint member secretary of the HP Council for Science Technology and Environment, told the DNA that the five districts where high alert has been sounded included Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kullu and Mandi. Geologically all these districts are located in zone V, categorised as highly vulnerable zone for earthquakes.
He said as a result a disaster management plan was being drawn for these districts in consultations with the deputy commissioners and the local
MLAs.
Dr Ravindra Kumar, head of the Geology department, Punjab University, who was part of the team of experts which conducted a study at the Ravana village, told the DNA that , there was an active landslide involving an area of 24 hectares located in the southern parts of village Ravana on the banks of Giri river, following whicha phenomena of hot fumes was noticed . In an area of about an acre more thana dozen crevices were formed where hot fumes with sulphurous odour started emanating.
He said thecause of the landslide could be associated with the tectonic disturbances that caused the Muzaffarabad earthquake .
The nature of hot gas is sulphurous in odour and is non-combustible. The gas was escaping through crevices in the middle portion of the sliding mass.
