It is the movement of rock mass or debris down the slope, and it is a type of mass wasting.

Landslide Vulnerability Zones of India

  • Around 12.6% of the land area, excluding snow-covered areas, is prone to landslide hazards.

Zones

Explanation
Very High Vulnerability Zone
  • Relatively young mountains in the Himalayas and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • Western Ghats and Nilgiris
  • Northeastern regions
High Vulnerability Zone
  • Himalayan states and the states of the northeastern regions, except the plains of Assam.
Moderate to Low Vulnerability Zone
  • Trans – Himalayan areas of Ladakh and Spiti, Aravalis, rain shadow areas in Western and Eastern Ghats, and Deccan Plateau.
Other Areas
  • Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal (except Darjeeling), Assam (except Karbi Anglong), and the coastal regions of the southern regions.

Causes of Landslides

  • Natural Causes: Heavy rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the melting of glaciers.
  • Man-made causes: Deforestation, Mining operations, and Infrastructure development.

 

 

Source: The Hindu

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