Geography of Kerala
Agroecological zones of Kerala | |
Kerala's districts, shaded by biome and soil types. | |
Climate
Kerala, which lies in the tropic region, is mostly subject to the type of humid tropical wet
The moisture-laden winds of the Southwest
Geography
Topography of Kerala's largest backwaters region | |
→ Indian Ocean. | |
→ Inland freshwater bodies and estuaries .
| |
→ Coastal lowlands and midlands. | |
→ Montane highlands (Western Ghats). | |
→ Urbanized areas (towns and cities). | |
→ Land transportation network (e.g., roads). |
A substantial portion of Malabar Coast including the western coastal lowlands and the plains of the midland may have been under the sea in ancient times. Marine fossils have been found in an area near
Eastern Kerala consists of land encroached upon by the Western Ghats; the region thus includes high mountains, gorges, and deep-cut valleys. The wildest lands are covered with dense forests, while other regions lie under tea and coffee plantations (established mainly in the 19th and 20th centuries) or other forms of cultivation. Forty-one of Kerala's forty-four rivers originate in this region, and the Cauvery River descends from there and drains eastwards into neighboring states. Here, the Western Ghats form a wall of mountains penetrated near Palakkad; here, a natural
Finally, Kerala's coastal belt is relatively flat, teeming with paddy fields, groves of
There are 44 rivers in Kerala, all but three originating in the Western Ghats. 41 of them flow westward and 3 eastward. The rivers of Kerala are small, in terms of length, breadth and water discharge. The rivers flow faster, owing to the hilly terrain and as the short distance between the Western Ghats and the sea. All the rivers are entirely monsoon-fed and many of them shrink into rivulets or dry up completely during summer.
The
Mountains
The
Natural Hazards in Kerala
Districts and multi-hazard zones of Kerala | |
Source: (UNDP 2002). |
Kerala is prone to several natural hazards, the most common of them being
Landslides
The highlands of Kerala experience several types of landslides, of which debris flows are the most common. They are called 'Urul Pottal' in the local vernacular. The characteristic pattern of this phenomenon is the swift and sudden downslope movement of highly water saturated overburden containing a varied assemblage of debris material ranging in size from soil particles to boulders, destroying and carrying with it every thing that is lying in its path. The west facing Western Ghats scarps that runs the entire extent of the mountain system is the most prone physiographic unit for landslides. These scarp faces are characterised by thin soil (regolith) cover modified heavily by anthropogenic activity.[20] The highlands of the region experience an annual average rainfall as high as 500 cm from the South-West, North-East and Pre-Monsoon showers. A review of ancient documents, investigation reports and news paper reports indicates a lesser rate of slope instability in the past; 29 major landslide events that occurred in the recent past was identified through the review.[21] The processes leading to landslides were accelerated by anthropogenic disturbances such as deforestation since the early 18th century, terracing and obstruction of ephemeral streams and cultivation of crops lacking capability to add root cohesion in steep slopes. The events have become more destructive given the increasing vulnerability of population and property. Majority of mass movements have occurred in hill slopes >20° along the Western Ghats scarps, the only exception being the coastal cliffs. Studies conducted in the state indicates that prolonged and intense rainfall or more particularly a combination of the two and the resultant persistence and variations of pore pressure are the most important trigger of landslides.[22] The initiation of most of the landslides were in typical hollows generally having degraded natural vegetation. All except 1 of the 14 districts in the state are prone to landslides. Wayanad and Kozhikode districts are prone to deep-seated landslides while Idukki and Kottayam are prone to shallow landslides. A very recent study indicates that the additional cohesion provided by vegetation roots in soil is an important contributor to slope stability in the scarp faces of the Western Ghats of Kerala.[23]
Flooding
Although the Kerala state does not experience floods as severe as in the
Lightning
Kerala is a place of high lightning incidence compared to most of the other parts in India because of its weather patterns and the location of the Western Ghats. Higher population density and vegetation density result in more casualties. Lack of awareness also aggravates the situation. Accidents caused by ground conduction from trees, which is a special feature of Kerala, add to the casualties and loss of property. The records show that the months April, May, October and November have the highest lightning rates. The most active time of the day is from 15:00 to 19:00. Of the fourteen districts, five have much higher rates than others. The severe impact of the hazard on the state and its people is seen from the very high average casualty rates of 71 deaths, 112 injuries and 188 accidents per annum. Losses to telephone communications, networked systems and
Drought
Kerala has been experiencing increasing incidents of drought in the recent past due to the weather anomalies and developmental pressures resulting from the changes in
Tsunami
The Kerala coast was significantly affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The coast located in the shadow zone with respect to the direction of propagation of the tsunami encountered unexpected devastation. Although the tsunami affected parts of Kerala coast, maximum devastation was reported in the low coastal land of Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts, particularly a strip of 10 km in Azhikkal, Kollam district. This varying effect along the coast could be attributed to local amplification of tsunami waves in certain regions. About 176 people were killed and 1600 injured in the coastal belt. Further, the tsunami pounded 187 villages affecting nearly 250,000 persons in Kerala. As many as 6,280 dwelling units were completely destroyed, 11,175 were damaged and nearly 84,773 persons were evacuated from the coastal areas and accommodated in 142 relief camps after tsunami. As this tsunami is believed to be first of its kind to have significantly affected the Kerala coast, the post-tsunami field investigations and measurements would give valuable information on various changes brought by the tsunami. Immediately after the tsunami, several organizations have carried out field surveys in many affected areas along the coast.[19]
Geography education in Kerala
Undergraduate and Masters level education is offered in the Universities of Kerala. Research in Geography is carried out in a variety of organizations like Department of Geography, University College, National Centre for Earth Sciences Studies, Kannur University etc.
References
- ^ Jose AI, Paulose S, Prameela P & Bonny BP (eds), 2002, Package of Practices Recommendations: Crops, Kerala Agricultural University "KAU Package of Practices Recommendations: Crops, 2002 - Map of Agro-ecological Zones of Kerala". Archived from the original on 19 December 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2006., Retrieved on 18 January 2006.
- ^ Know India: Geography of Kerala
- ^ Chacko T & Renuka G, 2002, Temperature mapping, thermal diffusivity and subsoil heat flux at Kariavattom of Kerala, Proc Indian Acad Sci (Earth Planet Sci) [1], Retrieved on 12 January 2006.
- ^ "Administrative Profile: Climate – Status of Environment related issues: Kerala ENVIS Centre, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. Of India".
- ISBN 978-8183320818. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ISBN 978-8181373991. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ISBN 978-8131758304. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ISBN 978-8120914667. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ISBN 978-8126415786. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ISBN 978-8177552577. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ^ "Wayanad". kerala.gov.in. Government of Kerala. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- ^ William Logan (1887). Malabar Manual (Volume-II). Madras Government Press.
- ^ "Mineral Resources in Kerala".
- ^ Press Trust of India (1 June 2020). "Kerala Boat Ferries Lone Passenger To Help Her Take Exam". NDTV. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Suchitra, M (13 August 2003). "Thirst below sea level". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Chandran 2018, p. 343.
- PMID 19066487.
- ^ a b "The Times of India: Latest News India, World & Business News, Cricket & Sports, Bollywood". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Yesodharan EP, Kokkal K & Harinarayanan P (eds), 2007, State of Environment Report of Kerala 2007 – Volume II: Natural Hazards, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, India "Soe_kerala_v2_firstpages". Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008., Retrieved on 1 July 2008.
- ^ Kuriakose SL, Sankar G & Muraleedharan C, 2009a, History of landslide susceptibility and a chorology of landslide prone areas in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India, Environmental Geology, 57(7), 1153–1568 [2], Retrieved on 1 July 2008.
- ^ Kuriakose SL, Jetten VG, van Westen CJ, Sankar G & van Beek LPH, 2008, Pore Water Pressure as a Trigger of Shallow Landslides in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India: Some Preliminary Observations from an Experimental Catchment, Physical Geography 29(4) 374–386 "Pore Water Pressure as a Trigger of Shallow Landslides in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India: Some Preliminary Observations from an Experimental Catchment - Physical Geography - Volume 29, Number 4 / July-August 2008 - Bellwether Publishing, Ltd". Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2009., Retrieved on 12 January 2009.
- ^ Kuriakose SL, van Beek LPH & van Westen CJ, 2009b, Parameterizing a physically based shallow landslide model in a data poor region, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 34(6), 867–881 [3], Retrieved on 5 April 2009.
- Chandran, VP (2018). Mathrubhumi Yearbook Plus - 2019 (Malayalam ed.). Kozhikode: P. V. Chandran, Managing Editor, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company Limited, Kozhikode.
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2002), Map Showing Multi Hazard Zones in Kerala, retrieved 12 January 2006
See also
- El Niño