Frequency of landslides increasing in Himachal Pradesh

High intensity rainfall coupled with cutting of hill slopes or rocks at the foothills are the main reason behind the significant number of landslides, experts say.

Himachal Pradesh has witnessed a six-time increase in major landslides in the past two years with 117 occurring in 2022 as compared to 16 in 2020, according to data compiled by the disaster management department.

There are 17,120 landslide prone sites in the state out of which 675 are near critical infrastructure and habitations. The maximum of such sites are in Chamba (133) followed by Mandi (110), Kangra (102), Lahaul and Spiti (91), Una (63), Kullu (55), Shimla (50), Solan (44), Bilaspur (37), Sirmaur (21) and Kinnaur (15).

High intensity rainfall coupled with cutting of hill slopes or rocks at the foothills are the main reason behind the significant number of landslides, experts say.

Extensive cutting of hill slopes for construction and widening of roads, blasting for tunnels, hydro projects and mining are cited as reasons behind the increase in landslides, geological expert Prof. Virender Singh Dhar said.

Though the time span of rains has been reduced, their intensity has increased. High temperatures coupled with heavy rains lead to landslides due to loosening of the strata in places which have undergone cutting downstream on the foothills, said Scientist (Climate Change) Suresh Attre.

Out of the 117 major landslides witnessed in 2022, a maximum number of 21 were reported in Kullu followed by 20 in Mandi, 18 in Lahaul and Spiti, 15 in Shimla and 14 in Lahaul and Spiti, nine in Sirmaur, eight in Bilapsur, five in Kangra, three each in Kinnaur and Solan, one in Una while no landslide occurred in Hamirpur.

Majority of slides were witnessed during the monsoon season, Special Secretary, Disaster Management, Sudesh Mokta told PTI.