The movement of a mass of rock, rubble, or dirt down a slope is characterized as a landslide. They are a kind of mass wasting, which refers to any downward movement of soil and rock caused by gravity. Landslides affect 15% of Indian landmass, but their susceptibility may increase in the future owing to climate change and population pressures. This increased magnitude can be addressed by taking a multi-pronged approach that addresses all aspects of disaster governance, including mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation. This article will explain to you the Landslides in India which will be helpful in Geography preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Landslides

• A landslide is a fast movement of rock, soil, and plants down a slope caused by gravity.
• It can be produced by natural forces such as severe rain or an earthquake, or it can be caused by human tampering with the slope's stability.
• Man fractures rocks to build roads, trains, houses, and tunnels, among other things. In such instances, the rocks become loose, resulting in a landslide.
• Landslides are defined as earth flow, mass movement, mudflow, rotating slip, and avalanches.
• Landslides are seldom as large as seismic or volcanic occurrences.
• The severity and scale of the landslide, on the other hand, are determined by the geological structure of the slope, the angle of dip of the slope, the composition of sedimentary materials, and human involvement with the slope.
• When landslides occur on the slopes of a river valley, the sliding mass may reach the valley bottom and partially or completely obstruct the river channel.
• This collected mass of avalanche debris that blocks a river is frequently referred to as a landslide dam.

Landslides in India

• This danger affects at least 15% of the country's land area in India ( approx 0.49 million square Km.)
• It is highly common in geo dynamically active domains such as the Himalayan and Arakan-Yoma belts in the country's northeastern sections, as well as in comparatively stable domains such as the Meghalaya Plateau, Western Ghats, and Nilgiri Hills.
• The Nilgiri Hills, located at the confluence of the Eastern and Western Ghats, display numerous landslide scars as a result of their location in a zone of high intensity and prolonged rainfall where the overburden is vulnerable to over-saturation.
• Kerala (2018), Himachal Pradesh (2018), Uttarakhand (2018), Tamenglong-Manipur (2018), and Kalikhola, Manipur (2018) are some recent big events (June 2017).
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded in its most recent report that a worldwide rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius (from pre-Industrial periods) was unavoidable in the next two decades.
• This would cause greater glacier melt and more water to pour over the steep slopes, resulting in additional landslides.
• The Himalayas are tectonically active mountains formed by the collision of two tectonic plates.
• This increases the likelihood of earthquakes, which might lead to an increase in the number of landslides.
• People Pressure: India accounts for only 2.4 percent of the world's land area yet houses over 17 percent of the world's population.
• Furthermore, the population is expected to expand until 2050, necessitating the construction of more infrastructure in vulnerable environments.
• River Characteristics: The rivers in the Himalayan highlands are huge and in their infancy.
• They perform a lot of downcutting, which increases the likelihood of landslides.

Landslides in India - Natural Causes

• Earthquakes: They induce a sudden shaking of the earth's crust, causing stress on materials and, as a result, landslides.
• Heavy Rainfall: The occurrence of major or continuous rainfall may result in heavy landslides on steep slopes.
• Water acts as a lubricant and loosens the material.
• For example, the 2013 Uttarakhand Cloudburst caused massive landslides in the region.

Landslides in India - Anthropogenic Causes

• Infrastructure Development: The construction of roads, trains, and dams in hilly areas can cause landslides.
• For example, the construction of Konkan Railways in the Western Ghats is regarded as a major cause of the region's frequent landslides.
• Mining is the removal of the earth's surface for mineral discovery, which loosens the material's hold.
• Explosions are also an element of mining, which can cause landslides.
• Deforestation occurs when trees are taken down for agricultural and industrial purposes, causing soil grip to relax and the region to become more prone to landslides.
• Unsustainable Tourism: As the number of tourists increases in the Himalayan area, more infrastructure and services are required to accommodate them.
• This results in more buildings and more landslides.

Consequences of Landslides

• The loss of irreplaceable human and animal life is the most traumatic effect of a landslide.
• Movement is restricted because the mud, boulders, and debris sliding down the hill create a barrier on vital transportation routes such as highways and railway lines.
• Damage to Infrastructure: When a landslide happens, several residences, buildings, roads, and other infrastructure are affected.
• Economic Losses: A considerable amount of money is spent on rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure, rehabilitating the masses, and giving relief assistance to the affected individuals.
• Water Availability May Be jeopardised: When landslides occur on the slopes of a river valley, the sliding mass may reach the valley bottom and produce a partial or total blockage of the river channel.
• This collected mass of avalanche debris that blocks a river is frequently referred to as a landslide dam.
• It may reduce the availability of water for adjacent residents.

Landslide Management in India

• National Risk Management Strategy for Landslides (2019):
• It encompasses all aspects of landslide disaster risk reduction and management, such as hazard mapping, monitoring, and early warning systems, awareness programmes, capacity building, training, regulations, and policies, landslide stabilisation and mitigation, and so on.
• Guidelines on Landslide Hazard Management issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in 2009:
• It describes the steps that should be done to minimise or reduce the danger caused by landslide risks. Some pointers –
• Identifying regions prone to landslides
• Encouraging the use of effective landslide rehabilitation and mitigation methods.
• Developing institutional capacity and training for geoscientists, engineers, and planners is essential for efficient landslide management.
• The National Organisation of Disaster Management (NIDM) is a prominent institute that provides Capacity Building support to different National and State level authorities in the field of Disaster Management and Disaster Risk Reduction.
• Restriction on building and other development activities such as roads and dams in landslide-prone regions.
• Agriculture is restricted to lowlands and places with modest slopes.
• Control over the growth of big communities in high-vulnerability zones.
• Promoting large-scale afforestation programmes and bund building to minimise water flow.
• Terrace farming should be promoted in the northeastern hill states where Jhumming (Slash and Burn/Shifting Cultivation) is still common.

Conclusion

India is particularly vulnerable to the occurrence of landslides. As a result, the government cannot totally prevent their occurrence. However, it may undoubtedly mitigate their negative impact by creating strong resilience in accordance with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. The whole Himalayan tract, hills/mountains in sub-Himalayan terrains in North-east India, the Western Ghats, and the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu Konkan districts are prone to landslides.

FAQs

MCQs

1. What is the primary cause of landslides?

A) Heavy rainfall
B) Deforestation
C) Earthquakes
D) All of the above

2. Which area in India is most prone to landslides?

A) Indo-Gangetic Plain
B) Western Ghats
C) Deccan Plateau
D) Thar Desert

3. What impact can landslides have on infrastructure?

A) They can destroy crops
B) They block transportation routes
C) They improve soil fertility
D) None of the above

4. Which human activity contributes significantly to the occurrence of landslides?

A) Reforestation
B) Mining and construction
C) Organic farming
D) Pollution control

5. What is a landslide dam?

A) A natural barrier created by a landslide that blocks a river or stream
B) A dam built to prevent landslides
C) A type of reservoir used for irrigation
D) A flood-control measure

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the causes and consequences of landslides in India. How can they be managed effectively?

Answer: Landslides in India are primarily caused by a combination of natural factors like heavy rainfall, earthquakes, and the geologically active Himalayan region, as well as human activities such as deforestation, infrastructure development, and mining. These landslides can have devastating consequences, including loss of life, destruction of property, and disruption of transportation and communication networks. Effective management strategies include improved infrastructure design, reforestation, early warning systems, and better land-use planning to mitigate risks in vulnerable areas.

Q2: How can human interventions exacerbate the risk of landslides in India? What steps can be taken to prevent them?

Answer: Human activities like construction, deforestation, and mining disrupt the natural stability of slopes, leading to an increased risk of landslides. For example, road construction in hilly areas can disturb soil cohesion, while deforestation reduces the stabilizing effect of plant roots. To prevent landslides, India should implement stricter regulations on infrastructure development, promote sustainable land-use practices, reforest vulnerable areas, and invest in early warning systems to detect potential landslide risks.

Q3: Analyze the impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of landslides in India.

Answer: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of landslides in India due to rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and glacier melt. Increased rainfall can lead to more frequent and intense flooding, which loosens soil and increases the likelihood of landslides, particularly in the hilly and mountainous regions. Mitigating the impact of climate change on landslides requires both national and local efforts, including strengthening infrastructure, improving disaster preparedness, and enhancing ecosystem resilience through conservation and reforestation.

Previous Year Questions on Landslides

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2019:

Question: What is the primary factor contributing to landslides in the Western Ghats?

A) Overgrazing
B) Infrastructure development
C) Deforestation
D) All of the above

Answer: (D)

Explanation: All these factors, including deforestation, infrastructure development, and overgrazing, contribute to destabilizing the slopes of the Western Ghats, making them prone to landslides.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2020 (GS Paper 3):

Question: "Examine the role of infrastructure development in exacerbating the risk of landslides in India. What measures can be adopted to mitigate these risks?"

Answer: Infrastructure development in hilly and mountainous areas can destabilize slopes, leading to increased landslide risks. Measures to mitigate these risks include conducting detailed geological surveys before development, using environmentally friendly construction practices, reforesting vulnerable areas, and establishing effective monitoring systems to detect potential landslides early.