Improper agricultural practices lead to landslide and mass movement&lt;br&gt;disasters: A case study based on upper Madi watershed, Nepal

Anup Gurung,Om Gurung,Rahul Oh

doi:10.9755/ejfa.v25i1.5341

Abstract

Damage, destruction, and fatalities related to landslide and mass movement are common phenomena in the Himalayan countries like Nepal, especially during the monsoon period. In Nepal, landslides represent a major constraint on livelihood and development, causing high levels of economic loss and substantial casualties each year. This fact was tragically illustrated on 3 August 2010, when Nang-Nung of Taprang, situated at the 22 km away from the Pokhara valley, upper Madi watershed, experienced a catastrophe landslide powered by the Madi river. The landslide and the debris flow caused widespread damage to life and property and destroyed valuable infrastructure in the area and the adjoining villages. 72 houses were swept away, 59 houses were partially damaged, 58.4 ha of land was washed away, 6 people were wounded, 5 people were killed, and many social infrastructures were damaged. The disaster was a result of a landslide triggered by heavy precipitation and stream undercutting the existing landslide.

Highlights

Nepal is a small landlocked country with a total area of 147,181 km2 and shares its political borders with China in the north and India in the east, west, and south
Nepal has a very low Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.509, which is measured based on the average progress of a country in overall human development (UNDP, 2009)
On 3 August 2010 the “Nang Nung” of Taprang which is commonly called as “Taprang ko Pahiro” (Pahiro means landslide in Nepali) experienced an unprecedented landslide and channelized debris flow powered by the Madi river

Summary

Introduction

Nepal is a small landlocked country with a total area of 147,181 km and shares its political borders with China in the north and India in the east, west, and south. Nepal is one of the least developed countries in the world with low Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of about USD 440 per person per year (WB, 2010). Certain level of urbanization is desirable for the overall development of a country, Nepal remains one of the least urbanized countries in the world, where still more than 80% of the population live in isolated and remote rural areas Nepal has a very low Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.509, which is measured based on the average progress of a country in overall human development (UNDP, 2009). It was estimated that still more than 30% of the Nepal’s population lives below the poverty line as of USD 1.25 a day (UNDP, 2009)

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