Landslide Susceptibility Analysis in Kaski District, Nepal: Using Remote Sensing Technique with Intensive Field Verification

Abstract Landslide events generally occur rapidly, are frequent, and also unpredictable. The landslide phenomenon often happens in mountainous regions due to natural and anthropogenic factors, which cause massive destruction and turn into disasters, most commonly in the Nepal Himalayas. Steep slopes, events with high-intensity rainfall, deforestation, land degradation, and scouring of river banks by rivers are the major reasons for the occurrence of landslides. Therefore, identification of areas susceptible to landslide occurrences and preparedness planning could help reduce the losses of human lives and properties. This study screens landslide susceptibility in the Kaski district, Nepal, through a Remote Sensing (RS) approach with intensive site verification. The spatial datasets obtained from the analysis of satellite images and other relevant maps were analyzed through a Geographic Information System (GIS). Seven landslide trigger parameters, i.e., slope, aspect, rainfall, land use land cover, drainage density, fault line, and road distance, were taken into consideration. The results were verified using the field observation method. The result shows that about 6.83% of the area is under very high susceptibility, 25.77% under high susceptibility, and 29.6% of the area is located within the moderate landslide susceptibility zones. All these zones are at risk of landslides; therefore, effective mitigation and adaptation measures such as control of human occupation, including the construction of infrastructures and landslide control measures, need to be designed and implemented to reduce the losses and damages from landslides.