Landslide Susceptibility Assessment in Nuwakot: An Examination of Methods to Mapping

The highest re-occurring hazard incident in Nepal in 2022 is reported to be fi re and landslides. A comprehensive study on understanding and identifying landslide susceptible areas and planning accordingly is perhaps one approach to disaster preparedness. In this context, landslide susceptibility assessment (LSA), plays a key role as a preparedness and mitigation tool at the local level. Landslide susceptibility, theoretically, denotes a geographic location of potential reoccurrence of landslide in an area based on several causative factors. I have conducted this study to explore landslide occurrence in Nepal based on secondary data, and map landslide susceptibility in Nuwakot district by using spatial multi-criteria analysis, SMCA and frequency ratio (FR) method. Then, I have evaluated the results which will support preliminary landslide risk level identification at the local level. Existing secondary data and landslide inventory extracted using satellite imageries were major data sources. Landslides in Nuwakot are concentrated within the range of 1000-1500-meter elevation of 15-25-degree convex slope with gneisses/schists formation. A result using SCMA methodology shows 47% area of Nuwakot under landslide susceptibility, of which 13.6% is highly susceptible whereas FR method resulted 27% area under high susceptible zone. The variation in susceptibility level and area between SCMA and FR methods can be attributed to differential calculated weight factor to geological factors, such as fault, lineament, and lithology. This study concludes that irrespective of methods adopted, landslide susceptibility maps and output data provide useful tools for landslide hazard risk identification and management. The necessity of robust and commonly applicable guidelines at different geographic scales is also obvious.