Analysis of Landslide Susceptibility of the Darjeeling District Using a Frequency Ratio Model and Geographical Weighted Regression

India yearly experiences natural disasters such as floods, droughts, cyclones, and landslides, which not only disrupt but also significantly affect the socioeconomic activities of its people. Darjeeling, one of the most valuable districts of West Bengal, India, is located in the foothills of the mighty Himalayas. Landslides in Darjeeling, particularly during the monsoon season, severely affect the socioeconomic conditions of the local population. This research creates a landslide susceptibility map of Darjeeling using the frequency ratio model (FRM) and geographical weighted regression (GWR). The study considers 16 landslide-conditioning factors and 743 past landslide events, of which 70% are used for modeling and the remaining 30% are used for validation. The generated landslide susceptibility map categorizes the area into very low, low, moderate, high, and very high susceptibility zones. Results show that most of the study area falls within the high susceptibility zone, covering approximately 28.45% of the region. The study also reveals that the northern hilly regions of the district are more prone to landslides compared with the southern part, based on FRM and GWR. The area under curve indicates that the model achieved a 74.7% success rate. The highest value of the landslide density index was found in areas classified as having very high landslide susceptibility. Therefore, considering the landslide susceptibility, implementation of effective management strategies is essential for ensuring the future development of the district.