Vulnerability
to Hazards: A Study in the Darjeeling Kalimpong Hills Region, West Bengal, India
Tamang Chandrakala and Roychowdhury Paramita
Disaster Advances; Vol. 18(9); 102-110;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/189da1020110; (2025)
Abstract
The effectiveness of vulnerability assessment relies on several factors, including
the integration of relevant theoretical frameworks and the collection of qualitative
and appropriate information. The mountain regions are particularly susceptible to
various forms of natural hazards, which can result in substantial devastation, including
the loss of human life and valuable resources. The Darjeeling-Kalimpong hills are
especially vulnerable to intense precipitation, particularly during the monsoon
season as well as landslides, earthquakes and the impact of climate change/variability.
The present study focuses on vulnerability and encompasses a theoretical framework
for evaluating risk and a component that incorporates people’s perceptions using
the Pressure and Release Model. This framework helps to investigate how vulnerability
in the Darjeeling–Kalimpong hill region of West Bengal arises from a combination
of root causes, dynamic pressure, and unsafe conditions. Moreover, the study emphasises
how vulnerable situations can be addressed and reduced in hazard-prone areas. Therefore,
the Government should implement policies for monitoring and regulating disaster
risk to ensure long-term sustainability in the Darjeeling-Kalimpong hill region.
