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Relevance: GS-I (Geophysical Phenomena); GS-III (Disaster Management, Science & Tech) Source: Geological Survey of India / ISRO Report, 2026

1 · What exactly happened?

Recent tragic slope collapses, like the devastating 2024 Wayanad landslide in Kerala that claimed over 300 lives, have shown us the terrible cost of delayed alerts.
However, there is hope! In Munnar (Kerala), the local administration used an experimental early warning system to safely evacuate residents two weeks before a major tragedy could strike. This proves that a proper Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) is not a luxury—it is an absolute necessity to save lives across vulnerable hilly hills.

2 · How do we predict landslides?

Landslides happen when heavy rainfall, weak soil, or steep slopes cause the ground to collapse. Scientists and government agencies are currently testing two major technologies to warn people before the disaster actually hits:

The Ground Sensor Model
Amrita University Model
Scientists install physical sensors (like tilt meters and pressure gauges) directly on dangerous hills. If the ground vibrates or shifts even slightly, an alarm is triggered instantly for local evacuation.
The Satellite & AI Model
IIT Mandi Model
Instead of ground sensors, this method uses satellite data of past landslides and combines it with local rainfall forecasts. It helps map vulnerable spots across vast regions like the Himalayas.
India’s Danger Zones
Who is Most at Risk?
According to ISRO’s Landslide Atlas, 12.6% of India’s land is prone to landslides. The Northwest Himalayas face the highest risk (66.5%), followed by the Northeast Himalayas (18.8%) and Western Ghats (14.7%).
The Missing Link
Why Don’t We Have It Everywhere?
Ground sensors only protect one specific hill and are costly. Satellite models rely on weather forecasts, which currently only give a day’s notice. We urgently need both systems working together.

  • The LANDSLIP Project: The Geological Survey of India (GSI), working with British scientists, is building a regional early warning system based on rainfall thresholds. Pilot testing began in Darjeeling and Nilgiris, with plans to cover 10 vulnerable states by 2030.
  • Why Sikkim is Safer: Interestingly, despite being a mountainous state, Sikkim suffers fewer catastrophic landslides. Why? It has a less dense road network, meaning much less artificial hill cutting by humans.
  • The Way Forward: Experts say India can build a nationwide, highly accurate warning system within just two years if we actively combine ground sensors with advanced AI weather forecasting.

UPSC Prelims Quick Facts
GSI (Geological Survey of India) The designated central nodal agency responsible for landslide hazard mitigation, zonation mapping, and early warnings across India.
NLFC National Landslide Forecasting Centre. Launched by GSI in July 2024 to generate and share daily landslide forecasts.
ISRO’s Landslide Atlas Reveals that India ranks among the top 4 landslide-prone countries globally, with two-thirds of the risk concentrated in the Northwest Himalayas.
Anthropogenic Triggers Human activities like unscientific road cutting, deforestation, and construction on fragile slopes that make hills unstable.
LANDSLIP Project A collaborative initiative between GSI and British Geological Survey to develop regional terrain-specific rainfall warning systems.

MCQ Practice Question
Q. With reference to landslides and early warning mechanisms in India, consider the following statements:

  1. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is the designated central nodal agency for landslide hazard mitigation and forecasting in India.
  2. According to ISRO’s Landslide Atlas, the Western Ghats account for a higher percentage of landslide vulnerability compared to the Northwest Himalayas.
  3. The National Landslide Forecasting Centre (NLFC) was established to generate and disseminate daily landslide forecasts across vulnerable states.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only    (b) 1 and 3 only    (c) 2 and 3 only    (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

  • Statement 1 — Correct: GSI is officially the nodal agency responsible for national landslide hazard zonation and early warning systems.
  • Statement 2 — Incorrect (the trap): According to ISRO data, the Northwest Himalayas account for the highest vulnerability (66.5%), whereas the Western Ghats account for about 14.7%.
  • Statement 3 — Correct: Launched in July 2024 by GSI, the NLFC is dedicated to providing daily operational landslide forecasts.
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