Scenery of the Chin State
Hakha, Chin State capital, is situated 6200 ft above sea level
The mountains are steep and high; the gorges are deep and valleys are small. The flat land area is scarce even to build a soccer fields for school. Villages and towns are built on the slope of the mountain or ridges or hill. Some villages are in the small valley near the river under high mountain.
Cities are built on the slope of the hill like Falam
Downtown Falam
The terrain of the region affects landslides and surface water flow and distribution. Landslides are very common during the rainy season. In the Chin State, roads are built around the hillside and they go around the mountain, the ridges and cross deep gorges, rivers and stream like a snake. Heavy rains triggered landslides every year in the region and the landslides destroyed roads, bridges, houses and villages in the region every year.
Hakha-Gangaw Road
Landslide in Gangaw Road
Passenger Bus stuck in the mud
Thawng Lian Thang, Chinland Guardian, reported in October 7, 2013 that at least 768 landslides occurred across the Chin State between 21 August and 11 September 2013, according to the Chin State government's statistic. This number is very high comparison with the size of the state.
Ngun San Aung, Minister of Transportation, said in the Chinland Post "The cost of repair and maintenance is estimated to be high. But its details can be revealed at the end of the year" said Chinland Guardian's reporter.
One couple, Pu Ngun Khar and his wife, lost their lives near Nganva river between Lungkhing and Lungrang villages in the mud caused by the landslide in August, 2013.
Buses, cars and truck stuck in Hakha-Gangaw Rd (Photo: CG)
The highest number of landslides occurred on the Mindat-Matupi road, followed by Hakha-Kalay and Teddim-Tonzang-Taingen road, according to Chinland Guardian. Landslides blocked Hakha-Gangaw road for days in August 2013. This kind of problems are common in the Chin State.
Ten homes have been affected and relocated in the capital of Chin State in this year alone and 90 homes in Laizo and Zarlai villages in Falam township this year alone. Landslides occurs every year especially in the Dawrthar area, Hakha, the capital city of Chin State by and large.
Therefore the Chin Baptist Churches USA sponsored $2000.00 in 2012 and formed an interest group to do virtual tour and some investigation about the landslides in Hakha town. The result of the survey would be published in the near future. I have a huge concern for the landslide in Hakha for years. I wrote three articles in Chin about this issue in my blog, Muko Makazine and Zion Church Makazine. My online article of Hakha Leimin Research Tuahnak, in Chin dialect can be read in my blog at semnaklairam.blogspot.com/2013.
Landslide in Tiddim Township, August 2011
The torrential rains caused flooding and landslides in Tiddim Township in August 2011 that affected relocation of 500 families. Farms, bridges and roads were heavily damaged and some villages were relocated in a safer places.
This landslides will cause the a lot of financial burdens to the state and individual families in the future since the landscape is naturally steep and the soil is soft and the villages and towns are build on the slope of the hills. There is always another chance of landslide in the region especially in the rainy seasons. The people need to be aware where the house should be built and need to have extra precaution when the rains is heavy.
The following images are landslides in the Chin State. Photos are taken from various sources.
Landslide in Falam Township destroyed road completely
Rebuilding the road is tough
Bus and trucks are over loaded.
People used to travel like this
Some roads in the Chin States are very dangerous. Some roads cross the deep gorge and the high cliff. Sometimes it seems like going to death road. Some roads are too dangerous and i would called them "Roads of Death" since many people died in car accidents. It is always scary riding full loads truck on unpaved roads.
