Landslide Awareness lectures by GSI in Darjeeling district : 20-26Sep2016

Refer also to previous blog

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

Events of Note : GSI/Govt of Bengal Initiative on 'Landslide Hazard Awareness' in Darjeeling district

Reference is made to this
Subsequent to the two day program conducted last year in Darjeeling, the GSI and Govt of Bengal are launching another series of contact programs at various places in Darjeeling district (see program above).
Considering that this region is one of the most landslide prone in the country (see map below), I find this initiative laudable. I only hope there is a good response from the local people and officials (which was sadly missing last year).
It will be a pity if political interference impedes disaster awareness programs and initiatives.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

STH activities : 07Sep-15Sep2016

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

Rainfall data (Darjeeling -Sikkim Himalaya) - August 2016

A number of low pressure areas developed in the Bay of Bengal in Aug 2016 but we received little rain from these systems and went deficient in rainfall from the first week till the end of the month. Early in Aug 2016, what has been described as local event dumped 95mm of rain on the Chungthang-Mangan highway at Lantha khola, it caused a major landslide which breached the road.
A photo of the same is placed below.

The major event of the month was the Dzongu landslide of 13Aug2016 which took place in North Sikkim and has been covered in an earlier blog

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling