Over 30,000 acres under landslide threat in Western Ghats of Karnataka

New Delhi: The Karnataka Disaster Management Division of the Revenue Department has informed the National Green Tribunal that around 31,231 sq km areas in eight districts along the Western Ghats in Karnataka are facing the threat of landslides.

As per the report, which was prepared based on the inputs of the Geological Survey of India, 53 per cent area of these eight districts were landslide prone.

The state submitted this report to the NGT, which is hearing the issue of landslide at Shiroor in Uttara Kannada district, which claimed 11 lives in July 2024.

The report highlighted short term and long term measures taken by the state government to prevent such mishaps in future.

Of the total area, 96 per cent in Kodagu, 94 per cent in Dakshina Kannada and 81 per cent in Uttara Kannada are landslide prone, said the report.

The report said that a total 1,405 landslide incidents have been reported in the state from 2006 to 2023. A total of 360 incidents have occurred along different national highways alone. The report also says a total 98 people have lost their lives in these accidents during this period.