Scientists at IIT Mandi have developed a fully operational Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) for the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), aiming to improve disaster preparedness as climate change continues to increase the frequency of landslides across the region.

The research was led by Prof. Dericks Praise Shukla from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at IIT Mandi, along with research scholars Mr. Ankit Singh and Mr. Nitesh Dhiman.

The Indian Himalayan Region is among the most landslide-prone areas in the country, with frequent slope failures causing significant loss of lives and property, especially during the monsoon. The newly developed LEWS has been designed to forecast landslide risks using real-time rainfall data and topographical susceptibility, allowing authorities to take preventive measures before disasters occur.

Explaining the significance of the system, Prof. Dericks Praise Shukla said:

"At the very onset of the monsoon, our Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) provides daily landslide forecasts through a web-based application. The system is designed to help identify high-risk areas in advance, enabling authorities and communities to undertake timely evacuation and disaster preparedness measures."

He further added that satellite-based early warning systems are among the most effective investments in disaster risk reduction, as they convert scientific data into timely and actionable decisions. According to him, a region-wide forecasting platform like LEWS can strengthen disaster preparedness, improve response time, and enhance coordination among disaster management agencies, particularly during the monsoon season.

Unlike many existing landslide warning systems in India that are limited to smaller geographical areas, IIT Mandi's LEWS covers the entire Indian Himalayan Region, making it one of the country's most extensive landslide forecasting systems.

The research team developed the system through a multi-stage process. They first mapped landslide susceptibility using nearly 26,000 landslide records from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) database. The team then combined multiple landslide-triggering factors with ensemble machine learning models to improve prediction accuracy.

To estimate rainfall-induced landslide risks, the researchers developed the P-RIL (Probability of Rainfall-Induced Landslides) model using data from the NASA Global Landslide Catalogue and seven rainfall parameters obtained from IMERG satellite datasets. Since the model analyses rainfall data from the previous 15 days, it can dynamically adapt to changing weather conditions.

The final daily landslide forecast is generated by combining the static susceptibility map with the dynamic P-RIL model through probability analysis. The results are presented in percentile-based risk categories, making the forecasts easier for users to understand.

To make the system easily accessible, the IIT Mandi team has also developed a Google Earth Engine (GEE)-based web portal. The platform allows users to view landslide forecasts for the current day and the previous three days, download forecast bulletins in PDF format, and receive WhatsApp alerts for selected locations.

According to the researchers, the operational Landslide Early Warning System will play an important role in disaster preparedness and risk reduction across the Indian Himalayan Region by providing timely, location-specific warnings that can help reduce both human and economic losses.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated, dedicated, and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth approximately ₹1.06 lakh crore in Rajasthan, covering sectors such as petrochemicals, transport, railways, roads, renewable energy, aviation, and power infrastructure.

A major highlight of the visit was the dedication of India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Pachpadra in Balotra. Developed as a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Government of Rajasthan, the 9 MMTPA refinery-cum-petrochemical complex has been established with an investment of more than ₹79,450 crore. The project is expected to strengthen India's energy security while boosting domestic petrochemical production.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for Jaipur Metro Phase 2, a project valued at over ₹13,000 crore. The new 41-kilometre north-south metro corridor will connect Prahladpura to Todi Mod through 36 stations, linking key industrial and residential areas, including Sitapura and Vishwakarma Industrial Area (VKI).

Further strengthening Rajasthan’s transport infrastructure, Mr. Modi dedicated the Churu–Sadulpur and Churu–Ratangarh rail doubling projects along with the four-laning of National Highway-125A and Jodhpur Ring Road Section-2.

In the renewable energy sector, the Prime Minister dedicated SJVN Limited’s 1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Energy Project and inaugurated a power transmission line built at a cost of over ₹1,900 crore for evacuating renewable energy from the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). He also laid the foundation stone for a 530-kilometre transmission system to support future renewable energy projects in the state.

During the event, Mr. Modi handed over appointment letters to around 54,000 newly recruited youth across various departments of the Rajasthan Government.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated the new terminal building at Jodhpur Airport, developed at a cost of ₹480 crore. Spread across more than 23,000 square metres, the terminal is designed to handle up to 20 lakh passengers annually and features modern passenger facilities. Inspired by Rajasthan’s royal architecture, the terminal blends traditional elements such as arches and jharokhas with contemporary design. The new facility is expected to boost tourism, trade, and employment across the Marwar region.

The Prime Minister also launched the Modified UDAN Scheme, aimed at strengthening regional air connectivity over the next decade. With an allocation of ₹28,840 crore, the revamped scheme seeks to expand aviation infrastructure and improve connectivity to underserved regions under the vision of Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik.

Separately, Mr. Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the CG Semi Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility at Sanand, Gujarat, under the India Semiconductor Mission. Developed with an investment of over ₹7,500 crore, the facility will have an annual production capacity of up to 5 billion semiconductor chips once fully operational.

The semiconductor facility currently employs more than 300 professionals and is expected to generate over 5,000 direct and indirect high-skilled jobs over the next five years. During his visit, the Prime Minister will inspect semiconductor manufacturing and packaging operations before addressing a public gathering.

Speaking at the Rajasthan event, Mr. Modi said that New India continues to move forward with determination regardless of the scale of challenges. He added that the new airport terminal in Jodhpur and the infrastructure projects launched during the visit would strengthen tourism, industry, employment, and economic growth across the region.