45% of Himachal Pradesh prone to landslides, floods and avalanches

A recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, has revealed that 45 per cent of Himachal Pradesh is prone to landslides, floods, and avalanches, sparking concerns among state authorities and climate activists.

These findings were released after a team of scientists completed hazard susceptibility mapping of the state.

The detailed analyses and testing were part of the efforts made by researchers and scientists from multiple IITs to study multi-hazard vulnerability across the Himalayan states.

The main aim of the study was to identify regions at high risk from multiple natural hazards like flash floods, avalanches, and earthquakes occurring simultaneously.

Experts working on this subject believe that the study would help formulate strong disaster risk management and reduction strategies in the hill state.

These findings were also presented by IIT, Ropar, at the Indian Cryosphere Meet (ICM) held at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, last week, which was attended by 80 glaciologists, researchers, scientists, and other experts from around the world.

The Tribune learned that the study was conducted by MTech scholar Daishisha Lawphniaw under the guidance of Reet Kamal Tiwari, an associate professor at IIT, Ropar. The team used geospatial data to evaluate the state’s vulnerability. The study found that areas with mean slopes between 5.9 degrees and 16.4 degrees and elevations up to 1,600 meters are particularly prone to both landslides and floods. Higher-altitude regions with slopes between 16.8 degrees and 41.5 degrees are more likely to experience both avalanches and landslides. The researchers and scientists also found that steep mountain slopes and elevations above 3,000 meters are at the “highest risk.”

The study stated that flood and landslide-prone zones are typically located in lower-elevation river valleys and lower hills of Himachal Pradesh, like Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Chamba districts, while high-altitude mountains situated in Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti have a greater threat of avalanches.

During the study, experts also pointed out that one calamity could trigger another in the region due to shared underlying causes and stressed that having this knowledge is crucial for improving disaster planning and risk management for experts handling such calamities. However, the Himachal Pradesh government has yet to receive the copy of the report officially from the government of India.

A senior officer of the state government, while talking to The Tribune, said that he had already seen the contents of the report in the newspapers but had yet to receive an official copy. As and when an official copy of the report is supplied to the state government, necessary steps would be taken in this regard. Cloudbursts and flash floods in recent years have become a regular feature in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh. The loss of life caused by natural calamities can be mainly attributed to increasing human interference, particularly in eco-sensitive Himalayan zones. Climate change, unauthorised construction on unstable slopes and floodplains, and the removal of green cover have made the matter worse in the Himalayan region, according to a report from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) released in 2023.