Catastrophic Landslide in NiznaMysl a Village (Eastern Slovakia)

Landslides belong to the most significant geodynamic phenomena in the Slovak Republic. According to the recent data more than 21,190 slope failures (mostly landslides) have been registered in the Slovak part of the Western Carpathians. They cover an area of 2,576 km 2 which represent 5.25 % of the total area of Slovakia. The landslides are concentrated especially in the Flysch and Neovolcanic regions. In May and June 2010 extraordinary rainfalls induced a lot of slope failures in some regions of Slovakia. More than 550 newly evolved landslides were registered especially in the Eastern Slovakia. The most disastrous landslide occurred in the NiznaMysl a Village in the 4th June 2010. Amidst the village the local infrastructure (roads, gas and water pipelines, wells) and 40 houses were damaged. Twenty nine of them had to be demolished and several others became uninhabitable. Fortunately nobody was injured or died. After the Handlovalandslide (1960-1961) it was the 2nd biggest one in Slovakia as concerns damages. The geological conditions of the area are prone for landsliding. The slopes at the western part of village are built by the Neogene high plastic clays with tuff and sand intercalations. The clays are sensitive to swelling and shrinking. The extreme rainfalls (250 mm/month) can be considered as the main triggering factor of sliding. After the landslide event the emergency state had been declared and the engineering geological survey started in June 2010. During the first stage of remedial works the middle part of village was stabilized. Currently, the whole landslide area is permanently monitored geodetically and by set of piezometric and inclinometric boreholes. The second stage of stabilization is in preparation. All the geological works at the landslide are coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic and financed by the Slovak Government.