Landslides

• About:
  • A landslide is the downward movement of rock, soil, and debris on a slope, ranging from small shifts to large, destructive events.
  • It can occur on natural or man-made slopes and is triggered by factors like heavy rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic activity, human activities, and changes in groundwater levels.
• Government Initiatives to Mitigate Landslide Risks in India:
  • National Landslide Risk Management Strategy (2019): National Landslide Risk Management Strategy (2019) is a comprehensive strategy addressing hazard mapping, monitoring, early warning systems, awareness programs, capacity building, policies, and stabilisation measures.
  • Landslide Risk Mitigation Scheme (LRMS): Landslide Risk Mitigation Scheme (LRMS) under preparation, aims to provide financial support for tailored landslide mitigation projects in vulnerable states, focusing on disaster prevention, mitigation strategies, and research and development for monitoring critical landslides.
    • This initiative will contribute to the establishment of an Early Warning System (EWS) and enhance capacity-building efforts.
  • Flood Risk Mitigation Scheme (FRMS): Flood Risk Mitigation Scheme (FRMS) for developing flood shelters, river basin-specific early warning systems, and digital elevation maps for flood preparedness and evacuation.
  • National Guidelines on Landslides and Snow Avalanches: Guidelines by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) covering hazard assessment, risk management, structural and non-structural measures, institutional mechanisms, financial arrangements, and community participation.
  • Landslide Atlas of India: It is a detailed resource that documents landslide events in the country's vulnerable areas and includes damage assessments for certain sites. Developed by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) under Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), it offers important information and insights related to landslides in India.