Himalayan Geology, Vol. 20(2), 1999, pp, 71-85, Printed in India

Landslide Hazard Zonation in part of the Bhagirathi Valley, Garhwal Himalayas, using integrated remote sensing – GIS.

R.P. GUPTA, A.K. SAHA, M.K. ARORA AND A. KUMAR
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Roorkee, Roorkee, 247 667, India
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Roorkee, Roorkee, 247 667, India

The paper deals with the development of a methodology for landslide hazard zonation using integrated remote sensing – GIS approach. A part of the Bhagirathi valley, Garhwal Himalays, has been selected as the study area. The trends in landslide hazard zonation have been briefly reviewed. This study has utilized geological – structural maps, topographic maps, and IRS – IC and ID multispectral LISS II and panchromatic sensor data sets as the input data. From these input data sets, various thematic data layers generated are: landuse/landcover map, buffer map of thrusts, buffer map of photo-lineaments, lithology, buffer map of drainage, slope angle map and relative relief map.

The ordinal qualitative method of weighting-rating with respect to landslide susceptibility has been selected for data integration. This has yielded a Landslide Hazard Index (LHI)-value map, based on the distribution of which Landslide Hazard Zonation has been carried out. Field data on distribution of landslides has been used to check the validity of the remote sensing – GIS based LHZ map.