Soil piping (tunnel erosion) is the formation of underground tunnels due to subsurface soil erosion. When the tunnel grows bigger and bigger the roof collapses and subsidence occur. In the Western Ghats, it usually occurs in the lateritic terrains. Land subsidence due to soil piping was first reported in Thirumeni village, Kannur district, where a large ground subsidence occurred in 2005. Realising the seriousness of the problem the National Disaster Management Authority funded a research project which was collaboratively conducted by National Centre for Earth Science Studies and KSEOC. Based on the recommendations of the research project, the State Executive Committee notified Soil piping as a State Specific Disaster.

The National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) was requested to continue investigations on the subject and a continued research funding was also granted. The NCESS submitted the final report on January 2020.

• Report of the research project may be found here

• Government Order notifying Soil Piping as a State Specific Disaster may be found here

• Report of the research project funded by KSDMA (2020) may be found here