Landslide Risk Assessment in the Rural Access Sector

In mountainous regions of developing countries, landslides pose a direct threat to both rural and urban communities. This threat is especially high along access routes, where migratory patterns usually result in ad-hoc roadside development. Landslide hazards occurring in rural access corridors present both an engineering and socio-economic risk that has yet to be properly evaluated.  The purposes of this study are to better define landslide hazard and risk assessment methods in remote mountain regions and to evaluate the interface between these hazards and risks in densely populated rural access corridors.

SW Nepal was assigned by UK based Scott Wilson for provision of local team of professional and support staff to this three-year research programme from 2000 to 2003. The research formed part of DFID’s Knowledge and Research programme. The research focused on the development and testing of mapping techniques for landslide hazard and risk assessment for purposes of rural access planning and management in mountain areas. The study focused on the Himalayan region with objective to apply mapping, analytical and land use management models to other regions in due course. Risk management and risk perception was considered an important element of the project in the development of guidelines for land use and engineering practice in rural access corridors. These issues were discussed at all levels ranging from national planning through to local community, engineer and farmer level. Participation and dissemination was encouraged at all levels, through site discussion, workshops and seminars.

Services were provided in the areas of

• Remote Sensing
• GIS
• Landslide hazard and Risk Assessment
• Social Mapping
• Land Use Management
• Institutional Strengthening and Training

The Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads in Nepal and the Department of Roads in Bhutan were partners in project implementation.