LANDSLIDE IDENTIFICATION USING GIS

– Landslide, the natural disaster causes a severe damage to the life and the property. Many areas of Udhampur are recognized to be prone to frequent landslide in the past. The migration from the early 1960s made the regions populated. However the settlers are poor and living with cultivations as means of livelihood. Landslide like geological phenomenon is a major threat to the life, property and even to the nature. The variability of major influencing parameters may affect the degree of accuracy of the identifying landslide prone areas. Along with the common factors such as Slope, Elevation, Rainfall density, Soil, Land Use Land Cover, Geology, Drainage density, Road density, Lineament density are also incorporated in this paper to estimate the proneness of the landslide. A weight index strategy is applied to the parameters. The parameters are overlayed (Weighted Overlay Analysis) in order to prepare the landslide susceptibility zonation map of Udhampur. From the analysis, it is estimated that about 10 sq.km. of land is highly unstable. The water percolating through these fissures can remove the weathered materials or dilute the clay stone intercalated with sandstone producing either slow slip or creep or sudden rockfall as witnessed recently. Mitigation measures have to be taken immediately. In addition, periodic monitoring of the formation and development of ground fissures should be undertaken to avoid any future possible natural hazard or loss of life and property in the region. Landslides can happen when rainfall amount reaches over a particular threshold of ~155, 212, or 290 mm making the slopes almost saturated. Landslides induced by extreme rainfall also depend on the initial water content (antecedent), geological local terrain settings and regional factors. This means that sudden landslides are mainly caused by rainfall extremes. From this study it is observed that Remote Sensing and GIS technique can be effectively used in the preparation of hazardous zonation maps, which will help planners and engineers to reduce losses of life and properties through prevention and mitigation measurements. The result of the study can help in carrying out the risk assessment and better preparedness for the future Landslide Hazards.