In a strategic move to combat the frequent landslide threats in Assam, the state government has partnered with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to develop an advanced landslide early warning system.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Friday by Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, CEO of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), and Siladitya Sengupta, Deputy Director General of GSI.
The agreement aims to introduce an experimental Regional Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) initially in Assam’s landslide-prone Dima Hasao and Cachar districts.
This system will eventually be extended across the state. Assam’s hilly regions, including Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong, Cachar, Karimganj, and Kamrup (Metro), have long been vulnerable to landslides that cause significant loss of life and damage to property.
The new system will leverage landslide susceptibility maps and rainfall predictions to forecast potential landslides and issue timely warnings.
Additionally, the GSI has launched the “Bhooskhalan” app for citizens to report landslides and the “Bhusanket” web portal to provide real-time updates on landslide incidents nationwide.
As per sources, officials from both ASDMA and GSI have expressed optimism about the initiative’s potential to enhance disaster preparedness and reduce landslide-related damage in the region.
