Death and destruction in Himachal Pradesh: Why the area is so prone to landslides

Numerous areas of Himachal Pradesh have been devastated by the state’s incessant rain.

It caused landslides, stopped highways, destroyed homes, and resulted in multiple fatalities over the last 24 hours.

According to expert claims in the past ten years, inappropriate human activity such as deforestation, road cutting, terracing, and changes in agricultural crops necessitating more intense watering has increased the vulnerability of the geologically young and unstable slopes in various Himalayan ranges at a rapid rate, according to PTI.

Let’s take a closer look.

Also read: Seven killed in cloudburst in Himachal's Solan, two houses washed away

Causes for landslides in Himachal Pradesh

The main cause of the substantial number of landslides, according to experts, is high-intensity rainfall combined with the cutting of hill slopes or rocks at the foothills, explained the news agency.

According to a former bureaucrat, the environment is seriously threatened by rising human activity and resource exploitation for development.

According to geology expert Prof. Virender Singh Dhar, the increased frequency of landslides is attributed to the extensive cutting of hill slopes for building and road widening, blasting for tunnels, hydro projects, and mining.

Rains now last for a shorter period of time, but they are more intense. According to climate change scientist Suresh Attre, high temperatures and heavy rains cause strata in areas where foothills have been cut downstream to liquefy, resulting in landslides.

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Morning Visuals from 7th Mile #Mandi#HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/1aMA7fuWm6

— Weatherman Shubham (@shubhamtorres09) August 14, 2023

According to The Federal, in a paper titled State Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, it was predicted that by 2030, the consequences of climate change would be noticeable. As a result, Himachal Pradesh may see a variation in minimum temperature of one to five degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature difference of 0.5 to 2.5 degrees Celsius.

A maximum of 21 major landslides were reported in Kullu out of the 117 that were seen in 2022, followed by 20 in Mandi, 18 in Lahaul and Spiti, 15 in Shimla and 14 in Lahaul and Spiti, nine in Sirmaur, eight in Bilaspur, five in Kangra, three in Kinnaur and Solan, and one in Una.

According to Special Secretary for Disaster Management Sudesh Mokta, the majority of slides were seen during the rainy season.

The major active landslides or sinking sites in the state included villages Jhandota and Kakroti and Sapdoth Panchayat in Chamba, Mcleodganj hill and Bariara village in Kangra, Baridhar to Kalyan Ghati road, Mansar near Salogra and Jabalpatwar village in Solan, Kotrupi, Doada Hanogi, five to seven miles near Pandoh and village Nagani in Mandi district.

According to the official data, the state so far witnessed 90 landslides and 55 flash flood incidents.

There are 17,120 landslide-prone sites in the state out of which 675 are near critical infrastructure and habitations. The maximum of such sites are in Chamba (133) followed by Mandi (110), Kangra (102), Lahaul and Spiti (91), Una (63), Kullu (55), Shimla (50), Solan (44), Bilaspur (37), Sirmaur (21) and Kinnaur (15).

Also read: India floods: Torrential rainfall claims several lives, triggers catastrophe in Northern India

Huge losses this monsoon

The landslides after heavy rains during the last few days in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla have created havoc in the city.

According to ANI, Himachal Pradesh has been the worst affected state in the country due to the floods and landslides with officials announcing a staggering loss of ₹ 7020.28 crore due to the monsoon’s devastating impact on Sunday.

The monsoon season commenced in Himachal Pradesh on 24 June. According to the officials, the monsoon’s death count stands at 257 lives lost due to a range of causes.

#HimachalPradesh: हिमाचल में पिछले कई दिनों से लोग प्राकृतिक आपदा से जूझ रहे हैं। कई बारिश ने तबाही मचाई हुई है तो कहीं भूस्खलन ने। ऐसा ही एक वीडियो हिमाचल के बिलासपुर से समाने आया है जिसमें एक कार भूस्खलन के मलबे की चपेट में आने से बाल-बाल बच गई।

Source: ANI#HimachalFloods pic.twitter.com/MZvi000p2m

— Moneycontrol Hindi (@MoneycontrolH) August 13, 2023

“Of the 257, 66 people lost their lives due to landslides and flash floods. 191 people lost their lives due to road accidents or other reasons. While 32 people are missing and 290 people have been injured”, the officials informed.

Further, as per the official inputs, 1,376 houses have been damaged in the state while 7,935 houses have been partially damaged so far in the monsoon havoc.

“270 shops have been damaged amid monsoon and 2,727 cow sheds have been damaged," the officials said.

Houses in many areas face threat due to the landslides and the Shimla Municipal Corporation on Sunday issued a notice for vacation as a major landslide in the Himland area has caused a threat to the houses nearby.

“The landslides happened and the structure is loose and our preliminary observation is that it is not safe. Seven occupants are living here. We have issued an advisory to all seven occupants by way of notice serving to them and they have agreed and vacated. We have told them until the report for safety is not issued, this place is not safe to live, all have vacated,” said Mahboob Sheiq, Architect Planner, Shimla Municipal Corporation.

Roads blocked

A total of 621 roads, including a maximum of 236 in Mandi, 59 in Shimla and 40 in Bilaspur district were closed for vehicular traffic, according to the state emergency operation centre. A key stretch of the Shimla-Kalka National Highway connecting Shimla and Chandigarh was also affected by recurring landslides over the past two weeks, officials said.

On Sunday, a large number of heavy vehicles got stranded on both sides of the road at Chakki Mor near Koti in Solan as continuous sliding obstructed movement on the road throughout the day. The small vehicles are being diverted through alternate routes, they added.

This particular stretch got blocked on 2 August due to a major landslide in which 50 metres of the road caved in. The road was reopened on 8 August but continued landslides are making the commute difficult. The Solan district administration has stated that only light vehicles would be allowed on this road.

However, several roads, which were earlier blocked due to landslides and other rain-related incidents, in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district, have been re-opened for traffic, the district authorities said.

The list includes major roads along the National Highway-05, National Highway-205 and also that are near National Highway-907A. On NH-05, around 11 roads have been cleared and opened for traffic. However, on some of them, only one lane has been opened for vehicular movement. This includes Parwanoo-Datyar road; Datyar-Chakimore road; Chakimore-Jabli road; and Jabli-Dharampur road.

Also read: Himachal Pradesh: 4 critically injured in bus accident after road caves in

Educational institutes closed

Meanwhile, in view of the incessant rains, the Himachal Pradesh government on Sunday informed that all educational institutions in the state will remain closed on August 14.

Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has taken this decision in view of the safety of the students due to heavy rains. On the orders of the Chief Minister, the Education Secretary has issued a notification to keep all government, private schools and colleges closed on August 14.

#WATCH | River flowing in full spate along road to Prashar Lake in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh pic.twitter.com/01MxFkRmC6

— ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2023

Also, the Department of Education of the state issued a notification informing that all the ongoing examinations of Post Graduate classes including B.Ed exams scheduled on 14 August have been cancelled.

“This is for the information of all concerned and worthy Principals of colleges affiliated and maintained by HP University that keeping in view the incessant rains and inclement weather conditions in Himachal Pradesh, the University has decided to cancel all the ongoing examinations of Post Graduate classes including B. Ed. exams scheduled on August 14 only”, the notification stated.

Steps taken by the government

Chief Minister Sukhu also took feedback from all the District Collectors (DC) about the damage caused due to heavy rains in the districts. He also got information about the closure of the road routes.

He also learned about the damage caused by landslides and damage to houses.

The CM has instructed the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary as well as all DCs to keep a close watch on the situation created due to heavy rains. The administrative staff should be alert and maintain smooth arrangements for roads, electricity and water, he said.

In view of the frequent landslides, early warning and land monitoring systems, which would give information about landslide activity in advance are being installed at some places in the state, officials said.

More rain predicted

India Meteorological Centre in Himachal Pradesh has predicted that moderate to heavy rainfall is very likely to continue over the state.

According to the IMD statement, moderate to heavy rainfall at many places is very likely to continue over the state with very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in the district of Chamba Kangra Hamirpur Mandi Bilaspur Solan Shimla Kullu and Sirmaur.

It further forecasted very heavy rainfall at many places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Beas, Ranjit Sagar and the Pong dam catchment area.

A local resident said that they are feeling unsafe and are in a state of fear as India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more rain in the region.

“It is because of the structure problem, the water discharge was not proper, it happened at around quarter to 6 AM. We have vacated the houses, the people from the administration have come and offered temporary shelters so far we will manage with our own arrangement,” KC Katoch, a local resident said.

“Heavy rainfall at many places with very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Sutlej catchment area”, IMD said in the statement.

With inputs from agencies