What is a collapse: the reasons for education and security measures

The population living in mountainous regions knows very well what a collapse is. There, this phenomenon is common, but nevertheless quite formidable, capable of leading to terrible destruction and human casualties.

How are the collapses formed

This natural phenomenon is a rapid separation and movement of rocks under the influence of gravity on slopes with overturning, crushing, as a result of which the valley bottom is covered with debris. Sometimes large blocks collapse, splitting in the process of falling into many small fragments, turning into a rockfall. The size of the landslides can have different limits - from the collapse of small pieces of rock to huge masses of several million cubic meters.

Causes of collapse are most often due to weakening of rocks, violation of their integrity, the formation of cracks, which is the result of weathering, leaching of soil by underground and surface waters. This process is affected by the geological structure of the terrain, tremors and, to a large extent, human activity, when the rules of construction and mining are violated.

Classification

The landslides are characterized by the power of the process (the volume of the falling mountain masses) and by the scale of manifestation determined by the area. In this regard, they are divided into very small, the volume of which is not more than 5 m ³ , small (5 to 50 m ³ ), medium (50 to 1000 m ³ ) and large (more than 1000 m ³ ). An example of what a giant collapse is, showed the collapse of rocks in the Pamir Mountains in 1911, the volume of which was about 2 billion cubic meters.

Depending on the scale of manifestation, there are huge (more than 100 ha), medium (from 50 to 100 ha), small (from 5 to 50 ha) and small (up to 5 hectares) landslides.

Consequences of collapses

The greatest danger is represented by heavy rocks, which, falling and falling from the slopes, are capable of crushing or falling asleep even the most solid structures. They overwhelm the surrounding area, sometimes hiding entire settlements, agricultural plots and forest tracts. Sometimes such landslides, villages, destroy the banks of rivers, which threatens floods, which bring no less significant damage to nature and the national economy. Such catastrophic phenomena not only harm the economy, lead to the death of people, but often cause a change in the landscape.

Snowfall

We also have to reckon with these landslides. They happen in high-altitude areas, where accumulated snow sometimes slips down in the form of an avalanche. Most often this occurs on treeless slopes, the slope of which is not less than 140 degrees. At the same time, a huge snow mass moves at a speed of 30 to 100 m / s, destroying structures on its way, falling asleep roads and mountain trails. Travelers who have appeared on its way, inhabitants of settlements and other people can be covered with snow. The impact of such an avalanche can be up to 50 tons per square meter. Such natural disasters in Russia most often occur on the Kola Peninsula, the North Caucasus, the Urals, the Far East and Western Siberia.

The impetus to snow avalanche can serve as an intensive melting of snows, snowfalls that last for a long time, as well as earthquakes and any significant fluctuations in air that are the result of human activity.

Precautionary measures

Residents of high-mountainous areas know well what a collapse is and, as a rule, carry out certain measures to strengthen territories and houses for the purpose of protection. The stations and posts of the hydrometeorological service are obliged in due time to inform the population of the danger associated with the landslides and the zone of their operation.

The laying of a railway track in a mountainous area requires careful identification of the dysfunctional plots to avoid them if possible. Especially steep slopes in the construction of roads are laid with a stone. In the development of quarries, the nature of the rocks, the direction of the cracks, is studied in order to avoid the shedding of the overlying layer.

Actions in case of a collapse

Natural disasters in the form of landslides or landslides can have the most unpleasant consequences. Therefore, when information is received about their possible threat, all the people living in the given territory together with the property, as well as agricultural animals, are evacuated to safer places.

This is done in accordance with the established procedure. If time allows, before evacuation it is necessary to perform preparatory work - to remove all property inside the house, closing tightly the doors and windows. Be sure to turn off electricity, water and gas.

People warn about the danger of each other. When a landslide threatens, an emergency exit is made to the safe slopes of mountains or hills. Rising on them, you can not move along the gorges, grooves and valleys, so as not to fall into the channel of mudflow.

Return to the previous place, when the collapse or the landslide is over, it is possible only if you are fully convinced of the absence of a threat. Only in this case it is worthwhile to search for missing people and rendering assistance to the victims. Knowing what a landslide is, local residents of the highlands usually know how to behave in similar situations, and are ready at any time to quickly gather and evacuate to a safe place.