Understanding Extreme Geohazards: The Science of the Disaster Risk Management Cycle European Science Foundation Conference November 28 to December 1, 2011, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain

Delineation of landslide susceptible zones using spatial based statistical model: a case study from Tinau watershed, west Nepal

Prabin Kayastha (1,2), M. R. Dhital (2,3), and F. De Smedt (1)
(1) Department of Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
(2) Mountain Risk Engineering Unit, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
(3) Central Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal, pkayasth@vub.ac.be

Mountainous areas in Nepal are prone to landslides, which occur every year, leading to enormous loss of life and property. As a first step towards mitigating or controlling such problems, it is necessary to prepare landslide susceptibility maps. Various methodologies have been proposed for landslide susceptibility mapping. This study applies the bivariate statistical index method to the Tinau watershed in west Nepal. A landslide susceptibility map is prepared on the basis of field observations and available data of geology, land use, topography, and hydrology. The resulting landslide susceptibility map is classified into different zones of four relative susceptibility classes: very high, high, moderate, and low. The landslide susceptibility map was validated by correlating the landslide frequencies of different susceptibility classes. The susceptibility levels are found to be in good agreement with locations of past landslides.