Forest department continues probe into Mulugu forest tree damage

Though initial investigations suggested that a huge gale and sudden cloud burst did the damage, a team from NRSC and IMD visited the area and collected evidence to analyze the cause of the uprooting of trees in such large numbers.

Hyderabad: The strange patterns in which over 50,000 trees were uprooted and damaged in the Eturnagaram forest region between Thadvai and Medaram on August 31 still remain a mystery. The Forest department, which has roped in experts from different agencies, including the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), the India Meteorological Department and others, is still trying to ascertain what exactly happened.

Though initial investigations suggested that a huge gale and sudden cloud burst did the damage, a team from NRSC and IMD visited the area and collected evidence to analyze the cause of the uprooting of trees in such large numbers. While most of the damage was in a straight line, in some places the damage was in circles.

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The forest technical team collected the evidence of what happened that day based on meteorological and satellite data. The team conducted an inquiry and collected samples of the soil from three metres deep from various locations in the forest. The investigations are still continuing.

About 150 forest department personnel from 9 mandals were divided into 38 teams to conduct surveys of the area and to count the trees uprooted.

According to Mulugu District Forest Officer (DFO) Rahul Kishan Jadhav, the enumeration of around 42,000 trees had been completed and the rest was in progress. It is estimated that more than 50,000 huge trees were uprooted in 204 hectares of forest region between Thadvai and Medaram.

On the reasons for such widespread destruction, the official said the trees in the region lack deep root systems and mostly had shallow root systems, hence they could have collapsed during the strong wind. When the air pressure drops off, the wind rushes to low pressure areas at a speed of around 90 to 120 miles per hour resulting in uprooting of trees on a massive scale, the officials suspect.

The destruction has covered nearly 500 acres and to regain green cover in such a vast area, it would take a lot of time, the forest officials said, adding that several types of trees, including valuable and medicinal plants spread over 200 hectares were uprooted. A detailed study would be conducted to analyze the reason behind the destruction, the officials added