Paper: GS – III, Subject: Geography, Topic: Geo-Physical Phenomenon, Issue: Landslides in Darjeeling.
Context:
Darjeeling, the “Queen of Hills,” often faces landslides and floods. In October 2025, heavy rainfall destroyed the Dudhia bridge and severely disrupted regional connectivity.
Key Takeaways:
Long History of Natural Disasters in Darjeeling:
- Darjeeling has experienced numerous landslides and floods over the past century, with major events recorded in 1899, 1934, 1950, 1968, 1975, and beyond.
- The 1968 floods killed over a thousand people, illustrating the region’s vulnerability.
Warnings Unheeded:
- Numerous studies and institutions have warned about the impending dangers.
- The Landslide Atlas of India 2023 ranked Darjeeling as the 35th most exposed area among 147 districts.
- Local NGOs have also been raising awareness about these threats.
- The Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Sikkim in October 2023, which caused extensive damage, was also warned about in the Sikkim Human Development Report 2001.
| What are Landslides? A landslide is the sudden and rapid movement of a mass of rock, soil, or debris down a slope under the influence of gravity, often triggered by rainfall, earthquakes, snowmelt, or human activities. Types of Landslides Based on Materials Involved Rock slide: Movement of bedrock down a slope, typically involving detached rock masses. Debris slide: Rapid downslope movement of loose, unconsolidated material like soil, rock fragments, organic matter, etc. Soil slide: Movement of saturated, loose soil that may involve a mix of soil and vegetation. |
Institutional Failures in Darjeeling and the Eastern Himalayas:
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