Early Warning System Crucial to Mitigate Landslide Disasters in India

An effective early warning system (EWS) that correlates rainfall with landslide risk is essential to protect lives in India's hilly regions. Recent extreme weather events in states like Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have highlighted the need for precise forecasting and systematic evacuation protocols. Current efforts, including local initiatives like Maharashtra’s Satark project, underscore the potential benefits of a comprehensive, low-cost landslide monitoring system.

As severe rains wreak havoc in India's hill states, experts emphasize the need for an accurate early warning system to predict landslides and facilitate timely evacuations. Recent disasters in Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have underscored the crucial role of precise rainfall correlations in mitigating landslide risks.

Despite the pressing need, granular studies or nationwide EWS for landslide forecasting are lacking. The Geological Survey of India's forecasts often fall short, as seen in the incomplete predictions leading up to the catastrophic landslides in Kerala's Wayanad district. Local initiatives, such as Maharashtra's community-run Satark project, are striving to fill this gap by issuing timely landslide alerts based on continuous rain monitoring.

Funded by the Pune-based Centre for Citizen Science, the Satark project has shown promising results, successfully predicting landslides in the Sahyadri ranges. Nonetheless, formal governmental collaboration remains limited. The National Disaster Management Authority acknowledges the high costs of existing monitoring technologies and is in dire need of low-cost solutions to implement nationwide.

(With inputs from agencies.)