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Writer's pictureAstra General Trias

Tips for Staying Safe During a Landslide



Every year, the Philippines experiences a typhoon that produces significant rains, and when the ground becomes saturated and heavy it results in Landslides. The Philippines has many different geographical and meteorological regions. Some people, particularly indigenous peoples, still want to live there. Landslides are most commonly triggered by mining or other human activity; they must also occur in hills and mountains with few trees.


It’s a natural occurrence; however, they are accompanied by several human activities that result in enormous ground movement. Landslides have become more common in recent years, and the primary reason is deforestation and mining. It can disrupt the social and economic environment by causing a variety of other damages such as loss of life and property, roadblocks, railway line destruction, channel clogging due to falling rocks, and river diversion, which can result in floods.


Landslides are common in the Philippines. It can occur everywhere when there are steep slopes, rocks, or other material, such as soil. It also happens throughout the planet but the Philippines is prone to it because it belongs to the Pacific Ring of Fire. Where earthquakes occur frequently that loosen the ground and an annual rainy season that saturates the loose ground will result in a landslide. Landslides can occur unexpectedly, So, how are we going to keep ourselves safe?


What is the first thing you must need to consider?


1. Check your location. Avoid relocating to an area that is prone to landslides, but if you currently live there, stay alert and be informed about the news if there is any natural disaster that may harm you so you can be prepared.


2. Prepare an evacuation plan. If you are unable to relocate, prepare an evacuation site or go to the evacuation area so that you can escape danger ahead of time. Prepare your emergency kit as usual because landslides can happen at any time.


3. Get your community involved in addressing landslide problems in your area. A well-organized community has a higher chance of persuading the local and national governments to solve hazardous slopes. It is to ensure the safety of every people in any kind of calamity in a community.


4. Protect your property. Consider installing nets, retaining walls, and growing strong vegetation to prevent landslides. For the preparation, you need to keep your house strong enough to withstand a landslide, ask or look for an expert like engineers.



Tips on how to stay safe during Landslide


1. keep updated. Listen to the radio or turn on the television for weather alerts to learn if a calamity is imminent. If there is a typhoon or an earthquake, do not leave your house until local officials have given you notice and updates. However, if you are in a vulnerable region, be ready to evacuate as soon as possible.


2. Relocating to a higher floor of your home. If you are unable to flee, seek refuge on a higher floor of your home. Keep all the emergency kits with you. Find a safe place.


3. Keep an eye out for water. Keep an eye out for rushing water, which could indicate the start of a landslide if you're inside your car. Look for an alternate route with no hill or trees that could block your path. Don't panic.


4. Be prepared to move quickly. Be aware of any unexpected increases or decreases in water flow if you're near a stream or channel. Another sign of debris traveling downstream is muddy water.


5. Stay alert. If you reside in a mudslide-prone area, make sure you are awake during calamities or storms and when wildfires are present. It will assist you in being secure by allowing you to be aware of what is going on around you.


6. listen. Pay attention to unexpected sounds. These are noises that could be caused by moving material, such as trees cracking or stones colliding. Mudslides generate a rumbling sound, so keep an ear out for that as well.


7. Look for any damage. Check your property for damage and report it, as well as all members of your family, when it is safe to return home or go outside.


To stay safe from landslides, learn how to reduce landslide risk.


1. Consult a geotechnical expert. For guidance on avoiding additional landslide difficulties and dangers, consult a geotechnical expert example is a certified professional engineer with soil engineering knowledge.


2. Retaining walls should be constructed. The purpose of retaining walls is to prevent debris from falling down a slope. Concrete, steel, gabions, and other materials can be used to construct them. Using retaining walls to prevent landslides is a widespread practice.


3. Plants help to stabilize the ground. The soil around the root systems of reintroduced deep-rooted vegetation will be stabilized. A weakening slope will be strengthened. It is critical to utilize deep-rooted vegetation and trees. Shallow roots stabilize less soil and pool more water around their root systems' soil. This is something to avoid because the slope's surface becomes heavier and wetter.


4. Reduce soil saturation. Lowering the water table level beneath the ground should help. Building a well and burying a water pump to take water from the ground can lower water tables.


5. Terracing can be used to reduce the slope angle. Terracing a steep slope divides a long slope into multiple smaller ones. The terraced slope's lowering tiers gather soil and other debris as it slides down the hill. Terraces reduce precipitation runoff and soil erosion, which are two elements that lead to landslides.

Reminders:


Being prepared for any severe weather event or natural disaster is the safest way to save our lives. Before deciding on a place that you want to live in, you must have at least a research if the area is safe. But first of all, do not choose prone areas that will harm you and your family. Calamity or disasters such as heavy rains, drought, wildfire Earthquakes, and Volcanic eruptions are sometimes unpredictable, that is why we need to consider our safety at all times. Although you can't control the weather or prevent landslides, you can get advanced warnings with the correct information. Alerts for heavy rains, strong thunderstorms, droughts, and wildfires might help you prepare for landslides. If you are thinking about a safe and community-friendly place for your home Bria homes is the one for you. Bria Homes are located in Situated developing areas and the target locations are near Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Where the place was proximity close to almost all establishments. It means that Bria Homes is one of the examples of a non-prone area and a perfect home to live in, for more information you can visit our page at www.bria.com.ph.


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