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सीएसआईआर-राष्ट्रीय डेटा विज्ञान एवं कृत्रिम बुद्धिमत्ता संस्थान

(पूर्व में चैथा पैरारडाइम संस्थान तथा गणितीय प्रारूपण एवं कम्प्यूटर अनुकरण केन्द्र)

वैज्ञानिक तथा औद्योगिक अनुसंधान परिषद (सीएसआईआर) की एक घटक प्रयोगशाला की एक घटक प्रयोगशाला।.


विज्ञान एवं प्रौद्योगिकी मंत्रालय, भारत सरकार

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by Rakesh K. Dumka, Sumer Chopra, Sandip Prajapati & D. Suribabu 



Landslides are among the most destructive geohazards, often triggered by extreme rainfall and intensified by fragile geological settings and human activities. On July 30, 2024, a catastrophic rainfall-induced landslide struck Vythiri Taluka in Wayanad district, Kerala, India, causing fatalities and widespread destruction. This study employs Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) using Sentinel-1 SAR data along with GNSS observations to investigate pre-event deformation and slope instability. PSI analysis of 33,253 scatterer points revealed cumulative Line of Sight (LoS) displacements up to 65 mm, with abnormal variations of ~ 20 mm detected on 20th July, ten days prior to failure. Average displacement rates of 2.0 mm/year and localized rates up to 5.0 mm/year near the crown highlight significant precursory deformation. GNSS-derived E-W compressional and N-S extensional strain confirmed localized active fault systems in the region. Integration of rainfall records demonstrated extreme precipitation (> 360 mm in 24 h) as a critical triggering factor, acting in concert with fractured lithologies and tectonic activity to destabilize slopes. The findings suggest that a weak zone formed well before the event, with deformation serving as a precursor to failure. This study underscores the importance of continuous monitoring with PSI-InSAR for landslide hazard mitigation.