Impact of humans on landslides : 14th Mile landslides (Kalimpong) in 2002 and now (2015).

The 14th Mile landslides (top) or sinking zone is one of the oldest in Kalimpong and has been featured in this blog earlier
Placed above are 2 Google Earth images of the same landslide zone of 2002 and 2015.
Both are photos were taken in January and the areas numbered 1 and 2 show significant increase in human habitation in the intervening 13yr period between the two photos.
Site 3 shows the 14th Mile landslides which are much bigger in the 2015 image even though we have had deficient rainfall in Kalimpong for 3 consecutive years from 2013 ie we are seeing an increase in landslides even though there is a decrease in precipitation (rainfall data of this region for the last three years is documented month-wise elsewhere in this blog).
Without being overly simplistic, as human activity grows along mountain crests, surface run-off of rain water from paved areas sharply increases the torrents of water charging the mountain streams or jhoras, leading to higher levels of erosion and landslides.
Increasingly, human activity is therefore emerging as a major cause of landslides in the mountains and is undoubtedly the main trigger for all fatal landslides that have taken place in Darjeeling-Sikkim in the recent past.
While it is well within our reach to control these actions and mitigate the landslides, neither the community nor the government (includes politicians) are bothered.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dit Darjeeling

STH stormwatch : Low Pressure forms in the Bay of Bengal - 07Nov2015

A Low Pressure Area has formed in the Bay of Bengal and as per IMD, it is likely to intensify into a well marked low pressure and then become a depression in the next 48hrs.

UPDATE on the storm (2100hrs) on 07Nov2015
IMD has upgraded the storm from a 'Low' to a 'Well Marked' low pressure area which will intensify into a depression in the next day or so

 UPDATE on the storm 08Nov2015

Track of storm is from JTWC

UPDATE (2) on the storm 08Nov2015
IMD has upgraded the storm from a 'well marked low' to a 'depression' in their midday weather bulletin. 
For anyone interested to check Chennai weather live see here 

UPDATE on the storm 09Nov2015

UPDATE (2) on the storm 09Nov2015
The depression intensified into a deep depression and crossed north Tamil Nadu coast at
7.30pm

UPDATE (last)  on the storm 10Nov2015 (evening)
The depression has moved inland and has weakened into a low pressure area and lies north of Tamil Nadu.



Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

A tale of Two Cyclones : Cyclone 'Chapala' followed by Cyclone 'Megh' in the Arabian sea

Cyclones in the Arabian Sea are comparatively less frequent than those in the Bay of Bengal, and it is rare to see two cyclones in that area, riding bumper to bumper and heading towards the same region (ie the Yemen coast) all within a week!
Cyclone 'Megh' has now formed in the Arabian Sea, hard on the heels of 'Chapala' which dumped almost a decades' worth of rainfall in the deserts of war-torn Yemen a few days ago. The forecast track from JTWC show 'Megh' heading to the same region.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

Rainfall data Darjeeling and Sikkim Oct2015 and IMD End of Season Report

 

The SW Monsoons of 2015 have withdrawn from the country as a whole. October 2015 again was a month of deficient rainfall for the entire Darjeeling- Sikkim Himalaya.
No landslides were reported during this month.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

Good news for Darjeeling -Sikkim Himalaya : Landslide Prediction Study by Ulster University in early 2016.

Ulster University (UK) has secured funding for a new study focusing on landslide prediction in the Indian Himalayas, which will use novel techniques to help predict massive landslide disasters and save lives.

The team of researchers from Ulster University, and other collaborators, will use their expertise in sensor development, landslide physics and impacts of hazardous weather throughout the project. They will explore state of the art technical and functional requirements for a novel landslide prediction system using low-cost, high-density sensor networks and smart landslide prediction techniques.

India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) and is supported by the Department for Employment and Learning. It was secured in close collaboration with key project partners including the University of East Anglia, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India Institute of Technology Hyderabad and University College London.

Ulster University's Professor Gerard Parr said: "This specific study will focus on predicting massive landslides due to extreme weather events in remote mountainous areas in the Indian Himalayas, namely in the Darjeeling region where unfortunately landslides have historically claimed many lives and damaged infrastructure.
"The results of this study will not only help to underpin critical landslide prediction solutions for remote rural Indian communities but for other countries around the world, including the UK, where flooding and extreme weather conditions can result in landslides and also threaten human life, lifestock and economic infrastructures.
"We are delighted to have been successful in our bid for this Feasibility Study which builds on aspects of our previous research within the India-UK Advanced Technology Centre (IU-ATC), the largest ICT project of its kind between UK and India."
The project will be led by Professor Gerard Parr together with colleagues Professor Sally McClean, Professor Bryan Scotney and Professor Philip Morrow from the Information and Communications Research Group at Ulster University's Coleraine campus. They will be joined by Professor Stephen Hailes who is Chair of Wireless Systems and Deputy Head of Department of Computer Science at University College London, Prof Dave Petley (University of East Anglia- UEA) Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at UEA and a world authority on Landslide Physics; Dr Christopher Kilburn (UCL) who is the Director of the Aon Benfield Hazard UCL Centre ; Professor Subrat Kar (Indian Institute of Technology New  Delhi) and Professor Uday Desai- Director of Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. 

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) Round Table meeting on 'Landslide Risk Reduction' : 04Nov2015

As is known, Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), is the apex body for Engineering in the country.
Its Forum on Engineering Interventions for Disaster Mitigation is holding a one day Round Table 2 discussion on Landslide Risk Reduction on 04Nov2015.
The main thrust of the meeting will be on

•  Large scale Landslide Hazard mapping for anticipation of landslide hazards and their mitigation, and 
•  Science, Engineering and Innovation in Landslide Investigation, studies and management.

Venue : Central Road Research Institute(CRRI), New Delhi (near Okhla on the Delhi-Mathura highway.)

You can download the Abridged Recommendations (ii) Recommendations and (iii) The Backgrounder and the Basis Paper of the meeting here

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

Withdrawal of SW Monsoons from this region : 15Oct2015

Though we had a number of low pressure systems and depressions developing in the Bay of Bengal (see blog for details) in 2015, we have had only ONE cyclone (Cyclone Komen) forming in the Bay this year where we normally have around 4-5.
There is much literature available on the internet on the trend in the frequency of cyclonic disturbances in the Bay of Bengal, this is just one such article.


Praful Rao
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

At the Sustainable Mountain Development Summit (SMDS) IV, (07-09)Oct2015 at Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh)

The SMDSs are an annual event organized by IMI.
This year the main theme for SMDS IV held at Itanagar on the 07/08/09 of Oct2015 and  organized by SDFA, Arunachal Pradesh was Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), the other thematic sessions being Mountain Agriculture and Forests. The Anchor for the DRR theme for SMDS IV was Dr RS Tolia, founding President of IMI.
SMDS IV was a mammoth affair with almost 250 delegates from all the 11 eleven mountain states plus the 2 hill districts of W. Bengal and Assam and also representatives from Bhutan and Nepal attending the seminar. In this melee were gov The gathering also drew a whole galaxy of experts on forests, agriculture, DRR and also from UNDP and ICIMOD as well as legislators, government officials and NGOs.

Conclusions of the DRR thematic session of SMDS IV:-
       
         a. Long term (5 years)

• Improvement of observational networks, collecting more scientific data on environmental mountains - on glaciers, climate change, rainfall and so on and better management of existing data.
• To analyze and convert this data into practical and understandable hazard risk  and vulnerability assessments which can be  used by practioners.
• Much stronger emphasis on action planning for risk reduction and response - starting from  the lowest possible levels (village level upwards). Planning for recovery from disasters also needs much more attention.
• Capacity building at the lowest levels and conversion of policy into action at the grass roots.
• Requirement to building back better in order reduce risk and a national policy on building on slopes.
  
  
  b. Short term (one year)
• 100% coverage of district disaster management plans in all mountain states.
• Setting up of one model district disaster management authority in each of the 11 mountain states.
• Retrofitting of one school and one hospital in each mountain state.
  
  
  
  Praful Rao,
  Kalimpong
  Dist Darjeeling

Rainfall data Darjeeling-Sikkim Sep2015 and monsoon withdrawal.

Sep2015 again saw us getting deficient rainfall even though Kurseong (as always) had higher than normal precipitation.
What is worrisome is the peaking of rainfall (see graph above) on certain dates, which seems to be the established trend in our rainfall pattern now.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

STH Activities : Working with Children (21Sep2015)

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling