WHEN THE HILLS COLLAPSE: Understanding Nagaland’s landslide crisis

Landslides in Nagaland have become an all-too-familiar tragedy – claiming lives, destroying homes and cutting off lifelines.

Every monsoon, the same grim pattern unfolds – landslides, mudslides, rock fall, homes tilting or sinking and lifelines washed away as highways transform into rivers. While people often blame the rains, Geologists said, the truth is far more complex as it is a combination of the state’s delicate geology and unpredictable weather pattern and worsened by the increasing weight of human activity on the already unstable slopes.

To better understand Nagaland’s vulnerability and what can be done to reduce the risks, The Morung Express spoke with Dr Temsulemba Walling, Associate Professor, Department of Geology, Nagaland University, and David Lhoupenyi, a Geologist from th