Early warning system using tilt sensors in Chibo, Kalimpong, Darjeeling Himalayas, India

Abstract

The Indian Himalayan regions have been significantly affected by the increase in the frequency of landslide occurrence. Thirty percentage of the worldwide landslide incidents occur in the Himalayan region with 42% of India’s landslide region belonging to Darjeeling–Sikkim Himalayas (NDMA Report, 2011). Several studies have been carried out worldwide on early warning systems considering rainfall history. Although rainfall is one of the criteria which can successfully predict the probability of landslides on a regional scale, it is indeed difficult to understand the risk associated with slope failure. The reason is the spatial variation of rainfall intensity, local soil conditions, geology, hydrology and topography. An early warning and monitoring system is one of the most effective techniques to minimise the disasters influenced by slope instability as it is less expensive and easier than slope reinforcement. A reliable and robust system fitted with microelectromechanical systems tilt sensor and volumetric water content sensors were installed. The sensor monitors the tilting angle of the instrument which was installed at shallow depths, and the variation of tilting angle corresponds to lateral displacement at slope surface. The primary objective was to monitor the tilting angles at various slope sites and to formulate a dependable warning system with a low probability of false alarms in Chibo Pashyor region in the Indian state of West Bengal. Such system would assist in the installation of several low-cost sensors over an active slope as it was difficult to determine the particular section of slope which could fail in the next heavy rainfall. The change in tilting rate would help in establishing thresholds determined empirically. Such system would help in developing an early warning system and also help in calibrating thresholds calculated using empirical techniques.