Latest news with #KarnatakaStateDisasterManagementAuthority
Hans India
4 days ago
- Climate
- Hans India
Over 31,000 Sq Km in Karnataka Vulnerable to Landslides, Warns State Revenue Department
Bengaluru: With the southwest monsoon intensifying across Karnataka, the state government has raised concerns over a sharp increase in incidents of flooding and landslides. The Revenue Department, in coordination with the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), has identified vulnerable zones and directed officials to initiate precautionary measures. According to KSDMA data, approximately 31,261 sq km of land across the state is prone to landslides. Of this, 1,164.52 sq km is categorised as high-risk, 5,386.79 sq km as moderate risk, and 24,710.11 sq km as low-risk areas. A total of 29 taluks have been flagged as landslide-prone. Districts including Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi, and Hassan face the highest threat, based on assessments by the Geological Survey of India and the KSDMA. These regions have historically experienced frequent slope failures during the monsoon, often exacerbated by deforestation, soil saturation, and unregulated development. Uttara Kannada tops the list with 8,389.26 sq km of vulnerable area, followed by Shivamogga (4,797.97 sq km), Dakshina Kannada (4,600 sq km), Kodagu (4,150 sq km), Chikkamagaluru (4,100 sq km), Udupi (2,650 sq km), and Hassan (1,100 sq km). From 2006 till date, Karnataka has recorded at least 1,541 landslides, resulting in 101 fatalities, according to official records. As rainfall continues to intensify across the Western Ghats and other interior regions, the Revenue Department has instructed district administrations to remain on high alert and activate early warning systems. Evacuation protocols, temporary shelters, and emergency response teams are being prepared in sensitive areas. Officials have been urged to ensure strict monitoring of hill slopes, regulate construction in vulnerable zones, and sensitise the public about potential hazards.
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
MoEFCC rejects forest clearance for Sharavathi hydro project; cites landslide risk, Western Ghats damage
BENGALURU: The recently submitted site inspection report by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of India (MoEFCC) on the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project in Shivamogga district stated that the project cannot be cleared as the compensatory land offered is not adequate. Moreover, the project will lead to major landslides and destruction of the Western Ghats. The report has come at a time when the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority has listed Shivamogga as one of the districts vulnerable to landslides and floods with increasing development activities. 'As the project involves steep slope-cutting of up to 60 degrees, formation of new roads, widening of existing roads, felling of over 15,000 trees and blasting of sub-surface rocks, high rainfall coupled with exposure of steep slopes and soil would make the region vulnerable to landslides,' the report said The project will have two reservoirs. Drilling and blasting of rocks for the construction of 500-metre deep 3.2km nine-diametre underground tunnels will be disastrous not only for the ecology, but also for human habitations, the report stated. A team from MoEFCC visited the project sites from May 7-9. The state's Energy Department had submitted a proposal to the Karnataka Forest and Environment Department and to MoEFCC seeking clearance for diversion of 54.155 hectares of forestland in Sagar, Shivamogga and Honnavar forest divisions for the project to generate and store 2000MW of power. The project is being executed by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL).
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Disaster management authority writes to DoT to ensure uninterrupted service in coastal and Malnad regions
Shivamogga The Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority has written to the Department of Telecommunications to ensure uninterrupted communication in the coastal and Malnad regions, which are prone to floods and landslips during the monsoon season. The authority wrote the letter on Thursday after Chikkamagaluru Deputy Commissioner Meena Nagara raised the issue of telecommunication and internet disruptions in the Malnad region, critically impacting the disaster response, in a meeting held on May 20, to review preparedness for the ensuing southwest monsoon. The Deputy Commissioner, in the meeting, stated that telecommunication and internet disruption were caused by power outages in the Malnad region. The telecom service providers (TSPs) fail to ensure adequate fuel for backup generators or sufficient battery recharging of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) towers. Honnamba S., commissioner of the authority, on Thursday, wrote to G.S. Sutar, Deputy Director General, Bengaluru, to instruct all TSPs and Internet Service Providers (ISP) in the coastal and Malnad district to ensure uninterrupted services during the monsoon. In the letter, the officer stated that Standard Operation Procedure issued by the DoT, clearly stated that the TSPs and ISPs should provide sufficient fuel, power, and essential equipment backups to BTS towers to ensure uninterrupted communication during monsoon in areas prone to disasters. Several areas of Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Hassan, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada districts receive 4,000 to 5,500 mm of rainfall annually. The areas are prone to floods and landslips. However, these areas face network issues. During heavy rains the problem worsens, making it difficult for the administration to get reports about floods and landslips from the ground and respond to the situation.
