Answer: 

Introduction:

Landslides are a common natural phenomenon in mountainous regions, causing significant damage to property and human lives. The Himalayas and Western Ghats are two prominent mountain ranges in India. The Himalayas witness more frequent landslides than the Western Ghats.

Body:

Causes for more frequent landslides in the Himalayas than in the Western Ghats:

• Geology: The Himalayas are geologically young mountains formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. They have steep slopes, and their rocks are less stable and prone to landslides. The Western Ghats are older mountains formed by volcanic activity, and their slopes are gentler and more stable.
• Topography: The Himalayas have a rugged topography with deep valleys and steep hillsides that are prone to landslides. The Western Ghats have a more gentle topography with fewer steep slopes.
• Climate: The Himalayas experience heavy rainfall during the monsoon season, which saturates the soil and increases the likelihood of landslides. The Western Ghats receive rainfall throughout the year, but the intensity is much lower than that in the Himalayas.
• Vegetation: The Himalayas have sparse vegetation due to the high altitude and cold climate, which results in less soil stability and a higher risk of landslides. The Western Ghats have dense vegetation cover, which helps to stabilize the soil and reduce the risk of landslides.
• Human activity: Human activities such as deforestation, construction of roads, and mining have destabilized the slopes in the Himalayas and increased the risk of landslides. In the Western Ghats, human activity is less intense and has had a lesser impact on the stability of the slopes.

Conclusion:

The Himalayas and Western Ghats are two prominent mountain ranges in India. Although both regions experience landslides, the Himalayas witness more frequent landslides than the Western Ghats. The major causes of this difference include geological factors such as the steepness of the Himalayan slopes, tectonic activity, and heavy rainfall.

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