Context
Recent landslides in the Western Ghats, particularly in Wayanad, have renewed focus on establishing effective Landslide Early Warning Systems (LEWS) in India. Researchers from IIT Madras have developed a new warning model for the Himalayan region to improve disaster preparedness.
Explanation:
- A Landslide is the downward movement of rock, soil, or debris under the influence of gravity, triggered by factors such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes, slope instability, deforestation, mining, and human activities.
- A Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) combines hazard mapping, rainfall thresholds, geotechnical sensors, weather forecasts, and real-time monitoring to issue advance warnings before slope failure.
- IIT Madras has developed a probabilistic forecasting model for the Himalayan region, using rainfall forecasts and slope-monitoring instruments such as tilt meters, pressure gauges, accelerometers, and moisture sensors.
- The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is the nodal agency for landslide hazard zonation, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) provides rainfall forecasts essential for LEWS.
- The Himalayas and Western Ghats are India’s major landslide-prone regions due to steep slopes, fragile geology, and intense monsoon rainfall.
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