Landslide Hazard Zonation Mapping of Kalimpong: Looking for Solutions

Landslides constitute 4.89 percent of all natural disaster around the world. 15 percent of the Indian land mass is at risk from different forms of landslides and has five major landslide zones. India owing to its varying geology and climatic factors has always been at constant risk. The recent urbanization and mechanization has aggravated the situation as a result the frequency of landslides in the hilly terrain has gone up in the recent years. Kalimpong in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal has seen major landslides in the past. Thirty landslide locations are found in and around Kalimpong town and post cyclone Aila there have been major landslides in the area. The study tries to locate the different zones where the probability of landslides are high and identify the region specific factors causing landslide in the area. Group discussions, field visits, photography have been used to do primary data collection. Based on the findings certain remedial measures are suggested to prevent and mitigate future incidence of landslides in the region.