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Study of a partially failed landslide and delineation of piping phenomena by vertical electrical sounding (VES) in the Wayanad Plateau, Kerala, India

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Abstract

A partially failed landslide resembling a cascade and which imparted a step-like topography occurred on 7 July 2007 during the south-west monsoon in Erumakolli tea estate near Meppadi in Wayanad district, Kerala. Five steps (towards north) were identified in the area, with the last step being the most devastating. The landslide ruined two houses and damaged several houses. The landslide also caused widespread damage to property. Subsidence and piping also occurred in this area. Development of haphazard ground cracks is common. Vertical electrical sounding was used to identify the subsurface nature of the piping phenomena. A low-resistivity zone (<100 Ω m) was identified and is suspected to be the possible focus of sliding due to oversaturation in rainy seasons. This study aimed at deciphering the piping phenomena and the mechanism of failure through geophysical studies.

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Acknowledgments

This work was carried out as part of the Field Season Programme (FSP) 2010-12 of GSI. The authors acknowledge the Director General; the Deputy Director General, Southern Region; and the Directors, State Unit: Kerala, of the GSI for entrusting the work. The authors thank D. Sanil Kumar, Senior Technical Assistant (Survey), for carrying out survey work and the Geophysics division of GSI, Hyderabad, for carrying out geophysical studies. This manuscript was scrutinized by Dr. A. P. Pradeepkumar, Reader, University of Kerala. Authors thank the editor and the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 581, Kerala, India

    K. S. Sajinkumar

  2. School of Mines, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Alenza no 4, C.P. 28003, Madrid, Spain

    R. Castedo

  3. Geological Survey of India, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 013, Kerala, India

    P. Sundarajan

  4. Central Ground Water Board, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 004, Kerala, India

    V. R. Rani

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  1. K. S. Sajinkumar
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Correspondence to K. S. Sajinkumar.

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Sajinkumar, K.S., Castedo, R., Sundarajan, P. et al. Study of a partially failed landslide and delineation of piping phenomena by vertical electrical sounding (VES) in the Wayanad Plateau, Kerala, India. Nat Hazards 75, 755–778 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1342-x

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