Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

Artificial grass covered mounds created to give a nice look to the streets of Baku may pose threats for the city.

General Director of the Agency for City Gardening Vagif Novruzov said it’s necessary to assess the geographical structure and infrastructure of a place while creating these mounds, otherwise they can be a reason for landslides.

“As rain and snow may easily wash the soil away,” he said.

“That’s why everything should be taken into the consideration when creating such mounds. Moreover, it is necessary to consult with an expert, as there are some places in the city, which is considered inappropriate for such work,” he said.

In October,a landslide in front of the bus terminal in the direction of Baku occurred causing a bend in the retaining wall, and large cracks in the terminal, adjacent to the road.

Leading researcher of the ANAS’ Geography Institution Sitara Ratikhazari believes that anthropogenic factors, namely, irrigation of the green areas on the artificial mounds, which are located on the sidelines is the main reason for landslides.

The number of areas that are prone to landslides in Azerbaijan has increased by four times in the past 24 years.

Landslides occur frequently in the foothills of Azerbaijan. Many landslide zones exist in Lerik, Yardimli, on Shamakhi Road, and in the Absheron Peninsula.

Scientists believe that people are behind 80 percent of the landslides due to agricultural activity, which increases the risk of landslides.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz