Landslides are a serious geological hazard caused when masses of rock, earth, and debris flow down a steep slope during periods of intense rainfall and rapid snow melt. The western (Konkan) coast and the Himalayan region of India are subject to many such landslides every year. Landslides in these rocky regions are mainly caused by the increase in strain due to percolating rain water in rocks fissures, causing rocks to fracture and slide down the slope. According to government reports, from 1998 to 2001 alone, landslides have killed more than 500 people, disrupted the communication and transport for weeks and destroyed thousands of hectares of crop area.

Existing solutions are restricted to landslide detection. A trip wire is installed along the landslide prone areas, and a break in the trip wire due to the falling rocks and debris triggers an alarm. Although this is an inexpensive solution for landslide detection, it is ineffectual in providing warning of the impending landslide.