Landslide Risks in India: A Complex Web of Factors

Multiple factors elevate landslide susceptibility in India’s mountainous regions, including the geological structure, changing climate, and increased human interference. These elements collectively place these areas at high risk. Landslides have always been a challenge, particularly in areas like the Himalayas and Western Ghats. However, recent years have seen an increase in both the frequency and intensity of landslides. This is due to natural causes and human activities. Landslides near river valleys in the upper Himalayas can create glacial lakes, which, when they burst, lead to severe consequences, such as flash floods and instability of slopes.