Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Landslides, Landslide Atlas of India
Why in the News?
Many people have died, and hundreds are feared trapped after three landslides hit Kerala’s Wayanad district.
About Wayanad
Susceptibility to Landslides:
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What are Landslides?
- A landslide is the downward and outward movement of materials including rock, earth, or debris down a slope due to gravitational force. Landslides are disasters of hydrogeological origin, resulting from the failure of materials falling down a slope due to gravity.
- India is among the top five landslide-prone countries globally, with at least one death per 100 sq km reported annually due to landslides.
Regional Distribution
- North-western Himalayas: 66.5% of landslides.
- North-eastern Himalayas: 18.8% of landslides.
- Western Ghats: 14.7% of landslides.
Key Policy Initiative: National Landslide Susceptibility Map
- The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) under ISRO released the Landslide Atlas of India in 2023.
- This detailed guide identifies landslide hotspots across the country with a 100 sq. m resolution overview of landslide susceptibility.
- The map highlights traditional high-risk areas and uncovers new regions of concern, broadening the scope of landslide monitoring.
- Scientists conducted a risk assessment based on 80,000 landslides recorded between 1998 and 2022 across 147 districts in 17 states and two Union Territories, creating a “Landslide Atlas” of the country.
Key Highlights of the Landslide Atlas:
Top States by Landslide Events:
- Mizoram: 12,385 events in the past 25 years.
- Uttarakhand: 11,219 events.
- Other states: Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura.
Districts with Maximum Landslide Exposure:
- Arunachal Pradesh: 16 districts.
- Kerala: 14 districts.
- Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir: 13 districts each.
- Himachal Pradesh, Assam, and Maharashtra: 11 districts each.
- Mizoram: 8 districts.
- Nagaland: 7 districts.
Highest Landslide Density and Risk Exposure:
- Rudraprayag and Tehri Garhwal districts in Uttarakhand.
PYQ:[2021] Describe the various causes and the effects of landslides. Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy. |
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