Darjeeling tragedy: Why India's landslide warning system remains a race against time

Darjeeling Landslide and Floods

The picturesque hills of Darjeeling were struck by tragedy this weekend. Fourteen people have been killed in multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal, according to reports.

The disaster, which occurred on Saturday night, has severed communication lines with neighbouring Sikkim after an iron bridge near Teesta Bazaar in Kalimpong collapsed.

Rescue operations are being hampered by severe weather and difficult terrain, worsened by the rain damage. There are fears the death toll may yet rise. This latest catastrophe underscores a harsh reality: while India has made significant strides in managing disasters like cyclones, landslides continue to pose a severe and often deadly threat.

Darjeeling Landslide: What turns the earth into a deadly avalanche?



At its core, a landslide is simply land — mud, rocks and debris — sliding down a slope. It happens when gravity overcomes the forces holding the ground together. Heavy rainfall is a primary trigger, as detailed in a report by The Indian Express. Water saturates the soil, dramatically increasing its weight and reducing the friction that keeps it stable. This turns stable hillsides into mobile, destructive flows.

The inherent danger is magnified by human activity. Widespread unplanned construction in India's hilly regions has created a precarious situation. Buildings and roads are often erected without considering the load a slope can bear. Furthermore, improper drainage networks fail to channel water away safely, allowing pressure to build underground until the earth gives way.

Darjeeling District Floods: Why is an early warning system so elusive?



The critical difference between landslides and other natural disasters is the lack of a widespread, reliable early warning system. For cyclones and heavy rainfall, forecasts often provide days of advance notice for evacuation.

While the India Meteorological Department accurately predicted the recent heavy rain in Darjeeling, pinpointing the exact moment a landslide will occur remains a formidable scientific challenge.

The scale of vulnerability is vast. About 13 per cent of India's landmass, spanning 15 states and four Union Territories, is prone to landslides. The Geological Survey of India notes that a staggering 42 per cent of this vulnerable area is in the Northeastern region, where the terrain is predominantly hilly, as per The Indian Express.

Efforts to manage this risk are underway but progressing slowly. A National Landslide Risk Management Strategy was finalised in 2019, advocating for vulnerability mapping and early warning systems. Some trial systems are being tested in states like Kerala, Sikkim and Uttarakhand.

These systems combine rainfall forecasts with soil data to assess landslide risk. However, this work is reportedly still in its infancy and has yet to be implemented on a large scale.