Landslides

A landslide is the rapid or gradual downward movement of rock, soil, or debris along a slope under the direct influence of gravity, commonly triggered by intense rainfall, earthquakes, or destabilizing human activities.

• It constitutes a major disaster hazard in India's fragile geological zones, specifically affecting the Himalayas, Western Ghats, and the North-Eastern region.
• The phenomenon serves as a critical case study in GS Paper III for evaluating disaster management planning, early warning systems, and slope stabilization techniques.
• It emphasizes the complex interaction between infrastructure development in mountainous terrains and ecological conservation requirements.

UPSC generally frames questions contrasting the structural and anthropogenic causes of landslides in the Himalayas with those in the Western Ghats. Papers often assess candidate knowledge on risk mitigation strategies, including national hazard mapping initiatives and community-led early warning networks. Candidates are expected to link physical geography concepts with disaster management frameworks and sustainable mountain infrastructure design.

• Geophysical phenomena GS1
• Disaster and disaster management GS3

• Cyclones
• Droughts
• Earthquakes
• Floods
• Forest Fires