Applying GIS and Remote Sensing Techniques to Predict Landslides

Abstract

Landslides are one of the tragedies which happen throughout the universe under all climatic situations and territory. This clue to the loss of subsists and possessions and harm to the natural milieu. Thus a necessity arises for the landslide danger zonation for the documentation of potential landslide zones. This study is an attempt towards showing the landslide using GIS and remote sensing procedures. Phuentsholing-Pasakha highway has been nominated for the revision due to its significance in the economy of the country. Strictures causing landslides were firm through a thorough writings review and field surveys. These limits were then converted in the system of maps using ArcGIS 10 software. The weights for each factor were allocated using bivariate statistical examination method for spatial analysis in GIS. Landslide hazard map has been acquired which demarcates the revision zone into three levels of hazard viz. high, medium and low hazard. About 19.35% of the zone falls under high risk, 30.55% falls under moderate hazard and 50.10% area falls under low hazard. Background/Objectives: The adverse impacts of climate change on a small and vulnerable country like Bhutan are highly consequential4. High magnitude flash floods and increased monsoon rains has been one of the pertinent causes of extensive landslides which accounts for around 4.89% of the globally occurring natural disasters during the last two decades (www.em-dat.net). The unplanned urbanization and development coupled with continued deforestation may be attributed to this rise in Figure3. Landslides are quite frequent along the tectonically active Himalayan region, specifically along the Bhutanese mountain belt5,6,16. Hazard zonation forms a critical factor for effective landslide management and is used as a tool for planning mitigation measures (Ramli et al., 2009). Results: A procedure for landslide hazard zonation has been effectively applied in the present study area. This effort can further be applied to other areas in the country as well. Landslide hazard zonation is an appropriate, cost-effective help to land-use planning and hazard decline. The weights given to the factors using bivariate statistical scheme has provided meaningful results.