One of the most important roles of STH over the years is to document landslide occurrences in our region so that this information though not technical in nature is available to scholars, government departments and others.
Unfortunately, due to the lockdowns and restrictions imposed during COVID peaks we could not carry out these surveys in landslide affected areas very far from Kalimpong however, our Whats App group 'Hazard Alerts' proved extremely useful as a crowd sourced information hub where people reported landslides and heavy rain as they occurred and we were able to record these events in our database.
03Jan2021 : A visit to Mungpel village
See here for details
17April2021: Reporting a lightning strike
Hanuman Mandir, Kalimpong
04Jul2021: Landslide survey around Kalimpong town
22Jul2021: Survey around areas NE of Kalimpong town ie Algarah town
Algarah is satellite town located approx 15km NE of Kalimpong. It has long had a serious subsidence problem and each year a central part of the town literally sinks. We surveyed the road to Algarah (which has numerous subsidence zones) and the areas in the vicinity.
31Jul2021: Survey of landslide affected areas in Kalimpong after extreme rainfall of 29Jul
We had some of the heaviest rainfall of the monsoons in July 2021 and that resulted in a large number of landslides in Kalimpong on 30Jul2021. We surveyed the affected areas.
This 👆 is undoubtedly one of the largest landslide in the entire Darjeeling - Kalimpong district.
06Aug2021: Berrick dara (NH10)
After a report on the local media (Kalimpong TV) that a large landslide at Berrick Dara on NH10, was causing instability and cracks to the homes of Berrick village we made a visit to the place on 06Aug2021.
Berrick on NH10 has had a long standing problem with landslides.
25Sep2021: Landside Survey in Kurseong with GSI Team
STH member Mr Sachin Tamang from Kurseong (Darjeeling district) was with GSI team surveying landslides along NH110 at Sukna, Tindharia, Pagla Jhora and Kurseong
02Oct2021 : Landslide Survey in Kalimpong district with GSI Team
I have participated in many landslide surveys with the GSI over the years and it was a pleasure to be with geologists Sumit and Ankur during their visit to Kalimpong district.
21Oct2021: Surveying NH10 from Teesta to Rangpo and back via Munsong
28Oct2021: Surveying the landslides along NH717A
The deluge of 18/19Oct2021 caused a large number of landslides along the NH717A, a highway being constructed as an alternate to NH10.
18Nov2021: Fatal landslide at Darjeeling SDO's quarters.
The landslide which damaged part of the SDO Darjeeling quarters (which lies above the District Magistrate's office and below Raj Bhavan) occurred on 19Oct2021. The watchman (chowkidar) died when he was buried by the slide.
Otherwise thanks to Ms Shreya Gurung of STH, we have a data base of landslides where we have recorded the coordinates/rainfall/ damage caused by the landslide. They are here
Landslide Survey on NH717A done on 28Oct2021
Praful Rao
SaveTheHills
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalayas
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