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Avalanches cannot be prevented. Despite its destructive force, humans are contributing to its formation and occurrences. Firstly, deforestation can contribute to avalanche formation. Hence, rainwater cannot be trapped and held. This removes the natural barrier to avalanches and landslides. Secondly, when mountainous areas are cleared and developed to tourist resorts, people start visiting it. The various activities of people wear away the vegetation. Thus, like deforestation, the natural barrier to avalanches is removed. Other human causes are contruction, mining and global warming. Road construction steepens the slopes, while quarrying and mining causes big holes to be dug into the ground, making the land unstable and may collapse. Global warming causes changes in weather patterns. It can cause snow to melt when it should not, and thus, increasing the risk of an avalanche. |