LANDSLIDE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Disaster Management)
Context: The landslide in Wayanad in Kerala that has killed over 200 people is one of the biggest natural disasters to have struck the country in recent times.
Landslide
- About: It is the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope, under the direct influence of gravity.
- It falls under the category of "mass wasting," which refers to any downward movement of soil and rock due to gravity.
- Types: Falls, Topples, Slides and Flows.
- India Is Prone to Landslides:
o Geographical Location: India is home to the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world, formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
o High Landslide Risk: India ranks among the top four countries with the highest landslide risks, with an annual loss of life per 100 sq km being more than one.
o Regional Distribution: Approximately 0.42 million sq. km or 13% of India's land area is prone to landslides.
o Northeast Himalayas: Out of the total landslide-prone area, 0.18 million sq. km is located in the Northeast Himalayas.
o Another 0.14 million sq. km of landslide-prone area is situated in the Northwest Himalayas.
o Vulnerable Regions: The Western Ghats and Konkan hills account for 0.09 million sq. km of landslide-prone terrain.
ü A smaller area of 0.01 million sq. km in the Eastern Ghats, specifically in the Aruku area of Andhra Pradesh, is also vulnerable to landslides.
ü Top 10 most landslide prone districts in the country, ahead of Uttarakhand, Sikkim and J&K.
