Why are Landslide Cases Increasing?

Landslides can be significant geohazards with widespread impacts on communities, infrastructure, and the local environment. Factors such as heavy rain trigger these events. Landslides are becoming more frequent and severe across the globe, posing significant threats to lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems.

A combination of natural and human-induced factors causes the rise in landslide cases. Let's examine the key drivers, supported by recent data and case studies.

Climate and Extreme Weather Events

Increased Rainfall

• Intense and prolonged rainfall saturates soil, reducing their stability and increasing the likelihood of landslides.

  
  

• The 2023 floods in Himachal Pradesh, India, caused many landslides. Experts say the disaster was because of exceptionally high rainfall from climate change.

Melting Permafrost

• In colder regions, warming temperatures destabilise slopes as frozen ground thaws.

  
  

• In Alaska, thawing permafrost has triggered landslides along coastlines and mountainous regions.

Deforestation and Land Use Changes

Loss of Vegetation

• Trees and plants help anchor soil, reducing erosion. Deforestation for agriculture, logging, or urban expansion leaves slopes vulnerable.

  
  

Urbanisation

• Expanding cities into hilly or unstable regions alters natural drainage patterns and increases slope pressures.

Poor Land Management Practices

Unregulated Mining and Quarrying

• These activities weaken the structural integrity of slopes and often result in catastrophic collapses.

Road Construction

• Improper road-cutting techniques destabilise slopes, especially in mountainous regions.

Population Growth in Hazard-Prone Areas

• More people are living in landslide-prone regions, driven by urban expansion and economic needs. This increases both exposure to and reporting of landslide events.

Advances in Monitoring and Reporting

• Improved satellite technologies, such as InSAR, and ground-based sensors have made it easier to detect and report landslides. While this does not directly cause and increase in events, it contributes to the perception of a rising trend.

By using different satellite remote sensing datasets, Geofem can create landslide susceptibility maps. These maps show areas that are most at risk of landslides.

The Path Forward

Addressing the increasing incidence of landslides requires:

• Climate Adaptation: Implementing drainage systems and slope stabilisation in vulnerable areas.

• Sustainable Land Use: Reforestation and regulated urban planning can help mitigate risks.

• Monitoring and Early Warning Systems: Using technologies like InSAR and community alerts can help predict and prevent disasters.