bhubaneswar : The state of Kerala in Southern India is a land shaped by monsoons. Over the summer, Kerala received rainfall totaling nearly 100 inches (2395.6 mm) between June 1 and August 26, which is significantly more than usual. The incessant rain led to landslides and debris flows washing away bridges and roads—cutting off towns and villages. The initial estimates indicate more than 445 people have died and many of those killed were crushed by debris from landslides.
The NSF-sponsored team led by Thomas Oommen, associate professor of geological engineering at Michigan Technological University, and Richard Coffman, associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Arkansas, will visit the flood and landslide-affected areas from September 3 to 10. Sajin Kumar K.S., assistant professor of geology at the University of Kerala, will be coordinating the visit.
Turning disaster into knowledge. That’s the goal of the GEER Association, Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance, a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF).