Landslides: Causes, Consequences and their Mitigation

Landslides are part and parcel of the physical
environment of undulating landscape of northern and
central Malawi. The population comprises poor,
largely rural communities who survive on subsistence
agriculture. This book focuses on both scientific
causes of landslides, and the local population s
awareness of landslides, their perceptions and
traditional beliefs regarding landslide causes, and
their coping strategies. The role of gender with
regard to perceptions and coping strategies receive
special attention. The author argues that
traditional; beliefs play an important role in
invoking explanations to why landslides occur, and
that women are as aware of the phenomena as men.
Coping strategies and proposed actions to combat the
effects of landslides are impacted upon by
traditional beliefs. Attempts to mitigate the impacts
of landslides and minimize their potential for future
landslides, particularly with regard to interventions
by government and NGOs, must enjoy the support of the
local population within the context of their
perceptions of such events, or they will be unlikely
to succeed

Autorentext

Golden Msilimba holds a PHD from the University of Free State, South Africa. He is a lecturer in Earth Sciences (Geomorphology, Hydrology and Water Resources Management) and Coordinator of the Water Resources Management and Development Programme at Mzuzu University, Malawi. His research interests include landslides and IWRM.

Klappentext

Landslides are part and parcel of the physicalenvironment of undulating landscape of northern andcentral Malawi. The population comprises poor,largely rural communities who survive on subsistenceagriculture. This book focuses on both scientificcauses of landslides, and the local population'sawareness of landslides, their perceptions andtraditional beliefs regarding landslide causes, andtheir coping strategies. The role of gender withregard to perceptions and coping strategies receivespecial attention. The author argues thattraditional; beliefs play an important role ininvoking explanations to why landslides occur, andthat women are as aware of the phenomena as men.Coping strategies and proposed actions to combat theeffects of landslides are impacted upon bytraditional beliefs. Attempts to mitigate the impactsof landslides and minimize their potential for futurelandslides, particularly with regard to interventionsby government and NGOs, must enjoy the support of thelocal population within the context of theirperceptions of such events, or they will be unlikelyto succeed