Malaysia has had significant mass wasting problems within the last few years, and much of this is because flat, static land is not abundant in the nation. Therefore, much of the 'urbanization' and growth has meant expanding population-dense cities towards hills and sloped regions, vastly increasing the number of landslides Malaysia has seen. When you combine these elements with the moist tropical weather they tend to experience, it is understandable that their hills become unstable with heavy rain and cause landslides. The unstable sediment is infused with water and many landslides are caused my 'creeping', or slowly moving, rocks and sediment that eventually result in a massively growing landslide, or cause minor damage. This phenomena is not usually something we can see with our own eyes, until the problem increases exponentially and is rolling downhill towards your home.
Not surprisingly, much of the activity can be attributed to seismic activity, volcanoes, and other natural hazards (of which Malaysia suffers a lot). These events are all related, and reflect the inherent environmental dangers that population-dense areas tend to perpetrate.
Malaysia, well aware of the dangers, does their absolute best to warn citizens and keep them safe through the many natural dangers they are at risk of. Recently (May 2016), Malaysians were at risk of "La Nina", or the lasting effects of the dangerous El Nino system. The possibilities ranged from "infectious diseases" to "flooding and landslides".
"‘There will be a movement in the earth, as the mechanics of the soil can hold only so much water before it will start to become mobile - and cause a landslide.' (Malaysian Digest).
At this time it was necessary to warn individuals in impacted areas, as well to provide resources like food and water to those whose homes were damaged. Having ample rescue teams and safety/authorities on guard is also essential to maintaining the safety of the civilians.
SOURCES:
http://www.malaysiandigest.com/frontpage/282-main-tile/611571-prepare-for-infectious-diseases-landslides-flash-floods-and-disasters-during-the-coming-la-nina.html
http://www.unibuc.ro/prof/scradeanu_d/docs/2014/mai/20_18_53_18LANDSLIDE_HAZARD.pdf
http://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2015/06/05/malaysia-earthquake-1/
Hi Kaylee,
ReplyDeleteYour post was amazing! I learned so much in your detailed explanation of how Malaysia experiences mass wasting. Urbanization causes so many problems around the globe, we have to take so many measures to be sure to avoid areas as best as possible that would be detrimental to those living there. Unfortunately nature is nature and we can't completely stop the disasters from happening. My country New Zealand is doing so many things to help locals prepare its amazing! I personally would avoid living in areas such as New Zealand and Malaysia because I would be too afraid of the risk! Again great post I really enjoyed reading it.
- Shauna