Syllabus : GS3/Disaster Management, GS2/Geography
In short:
Since: May 29, 2025
Death Toll: 30+ due to landslides, floods, and lightning
Assam: Guwahati landslides, Golaghat district floods
Arunachal Pradesh: Landslide in East Kameng
Mizoram: Flash floods in Champhai
Meghalaya: Lightning in West Garo Hills & Ri-Bhoi
Manipur: Floods & landslides in Imphal areas
Sikkim: Teesta River in spate with high currents
What is a landslide?
The downhill movement of rock, earth,
What are the causes
What are the major Govt Initiatives to mitigate landslide risks?
| Initiative | Description |
| National Landslide Risk Management Strategy (2019) | Framework by NDMA focusing on risk reduction, urban planning flaws, and absence of land-use policy |
| Landslide Atlas of India | Based on ~80,000 landslides (1998–2022) across 147 districts; maps high-risk zones |
| Early Warning Systems (EWS) | Rainfall-based predictive systems in Nagaland, Sikkim, etc. |
| Tech Support | CBRI & IIT Roorkee installing EWS in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Kerala |
What are the major challenges?
- Limited Risk Mapping : Inadequate geological assessments hinder targeted action
- Unsustainable Land Use : Deforestation, slope construction worsen vulnerability
- Resource Gaps : Lack of sensors, high cost of engineering solutions
- Low Public Awareness : Communities not trained or informed on early response or preparedness
Policy Level Insights : Gadgil Committee & Kasturirangan Committee
| Engineering Interventions – Tamil Nadu Case Location: Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu Implemented by: State Highways Department Soil Nailing: Inserting steel rods into slopes to anchor and stabilize soil Hydroseeding: Spraying grass-seed-fertilizer mix to promote vegetation cover → holds topsoil and prevents erosion |
| UPSC Angle – Landslide Mitigation GS1: Geographical causes of landslides in Himalayas & Western Ghats GS2: Role of NDMA, ESZs, and policy recommendations (Gadgil & Kasturirangan) GS3: Disaster management strategies – EWS, slope stabilisation, sustainable land use GS4: Environmental ethics & community-centric disaster planning Possible Question : “Discuss the challenges of landslide mitigation in India and examine the role of eco-sensitive zoning and community participation in reducing risks.” |