Indian Landslide Susceptibility Map

• 09 Jan 2024

Recently, a team of researchers from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi developed India's first comprehensive landslide susceptibility map.

Key Points

• Critical Need for Mapping: The 2023 floods underscored the urgency of a national landslide susceptibility map in India to identify high-risk areas and allocate resources effectively for mitigation.
• Unique Challenge of Landslides: Unlike floods, landslides are localized and affect only 1-2% of the country, making satellite tracking and study challenging. The lack of quality data prompted IIT Delhi's initiative.
• GeoSadak Contribution: The online system GeoSadak, displaying national road network data, played a crucial role in providing information on roads outside cities, where most landslides occur.
• Ensemble Machine Learning: To analyse the extensive dataset, the researchers employed ensemble machine learning, combining multiple models to enhance accuracy.
• High-Resolution Map Development: Using 150,000 data points and 16 factors, the researchers created a high-resolution (100 sq. m parcel) landslide susceptibility map for the entire country.
• Identifying Risk Areas: The map reveals both known high-risk areas like the Himalayan foothills and the Western Ghats, as well as previously unknown risk zones, aiding policymakers in vulnerability assessment.
• Building an Early Warning System: The researchers aim to develop a 'Landslide Early Warning System' for India, utilizing insights from the susceptibility map.
• Public Accessibility: The map is available online for free, offering a user-friendly interface for exploring landslide susceptibility in various regions without requiring technical expertise.