Abstract
Abstract. An integrated approach was adopted over Faifa Mountain and its surroundings, in Saudi Arabia, to identify landslide types, distribution, and controlling factors, and to generate landslide susceptibility maps. Given the inaccessibility of the area, we relied on remote sensing observations and GIS-based applications to enable spatial analysis of data and extrapolation of limited field observations. Susceptibility maps depicting debris flows within ephemeral valleys (Type I) and landslides caused by failure along fracture planes (Type II) were generated. Type I susceptibility maps were generated applying linear relationships between normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and threshold slope values (30°), both of which were extracted over known debris flow locations. For Type II susceptibility maps, landslides were predicted if fracture planes had strike values similar to (within 20°) those of the slope face strike and dip angles exceeding the friction, but not the slope angles. Comparisons between predicted and observed debris flows yielded success rates of 82% (ephemeral valleys); unverified predictions are interpreted as future locations of debris flows. Our approach could serve as a replicable model for many areas worldwide, in areas where field measurements are difficult to obtain and/or are cost prohibitive.
Highlights
The Red Sea hills of the Arabian Peninsula consist of a complex of volcano-sedimentary igneous and metamorphic rocks that were formed by the accretion of island arcs and closure of interleaving oceanic arcs 550–950 Ma (Stoeser and Camp, 1985)
(7) The “Hazard” subfolder includes various susceptibility maps generated for each of the two main types of landslides identified in the study area: those related to debris flows and those related to failure on fracture planes
We adopted an integrated approach to accomplish the following in our test site, the Faifa mountain and surroundings in the Jazan area, Red Sea hills, Saudi Arabia: (1) identify the types and landslides and map their distribution, (2) identify the factors controlling landslide distribution, and (3) generate susceptibility maps outlining areas that are prone to the development of landslides
Summary
The Red Sea hills of the Arabian Peninsula consist of a complex of volcano-sedimentary igneous and metamorphic rocks that were formed by the accretion of island arcs and closure of interleaving oceanic arcs 550–950 Ma (Stoeser and Camp, 1985). The study area, Faifa Mountain and its surroundings in the Jazan region (latitude: 16.5–17.7◦ N; longitude: 42.0–43.8◦ E), is located within the basement complex of the Red Sea hills to the north of the Saudi–Yemen border (Alehaideb, 1985; Abou Ouf and El Shater, 1992). T. Alharbi et al.: An assessment of landslide susceptibility in the Faifa area, Saudi Arabia. Faifa Mountain and its surroundings were no exception These areas witnessed the construction of highways, roadcuts, and bridges to connect the remote mountainous terrain to the coastal plain. Given the high levels of precipitation over the Faifa area, the steep gradient, and the intensified construction phase, landslides are becoming problematic. Our approach is largely based on observations extracted from remotely acquired data sets and field data
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
