Researchers from the Durham University, UK have created a new database which found that 32,300 people died in landslides between 2004 and 2010.
Previous estimates ranged from 3,000 to 7,000 fatalities.
The Durham Fatal Landslide Database (DFLD) mapped global landslide hotspots across the world including Southern edge of the Himalayan Arc, Southwest coast of India and Sri Lanka.
Other hotspots were Southern and eastern coasts of China and the mountains around the Sichuan Basin in Central China.
Western edge of the Philippine Sea plate (Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines), Central Caribbean islands including Haiti, Indonesia, especially in Java were also in the list.
The mountainous chain from Mexico, Central America, to Chile, South America, especially in Colombia was also found prone to landslides.
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More fatal landslide events are recorded in May to October and the dominant global trigger was rain from the monsoon.
Tropical cyclones also generate extreme rainfall events that trigger landslides in Asia, and hurricanes have the same effect on regions in the Caribbean and Central America.
Researchers said that weather patterns, deforestation, melting permafrost in high mountainous areas, and high and increasing human population densities are important factors in the cause, distribution, number, extent and effects of landslides.
"Areas with a combination of high relief, intense rainfall, and a high population density are most likely to experience high numbers of fatal landslides. Landslides are a global hazard requiring a major change in perception and policy," lead researcher, David Petley said.
"The new database can help policymakers to prioritise areas for action to manage hazards and to lessen the risks to human populations living in hotspot regions," researchers said in a statement.
The database included only fatal landslides and was compiled using a number of search tools and analysis of government statistics, aid agency reports, and research papers.
Data from landslides caused by earthquakes was excluded due to the high level of uncertainty associated with these events. Following an earthquake, where there is a fatal landslide, the deaths are attributed to the earthquake trigger itself, rather than the landslide.
The study was published in the journal Geology.