GIS Based Landslide Susceptibility Mapping along the Road Section from Bandeu to Barahabise, Sindhupal Chowk District of Nepal

Landslide is the one of the natural hazards that occur frequently in the Nepal Himalaya causing huge loss of life and property every year especially during rainy season. Landslides occurred in the Sindhupalchwok District, Jure (2nd August 2014), along the road corridor of Araniko Highway blocked Sunkoshi River resulting loss of 156 lives, damaged road section and huge property loss. Due to the weak geological condition, rapid developmental activities and other inherent natural conditions, Barhabise area of Sindhupalchwok Distrcit has been exposed to landslide hazard. Therefore, present study concentrates on landslide susceptibility mapping of the area along the road corridor of the Araniko Highway about 30 km from Bandeu to Barhabise, Sindhupalchwok District by using Arc GIS 10.3. Statistical index method was used to prepare the landslide susceptibility maps. The causative factors considered for the study were elevation, slope angle, slope aspect, geology, distance from drainage, distance from road, land use and rainfall. For the preparation of slope, aspect and elevation map a cartosat image 30m*30 m resolution was used and for land use, geology and distance from drainage and road factor data was taken from Department of Survey and for rainfall factor data of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology was used. The landslide index map was varied from -6.8213 to 5.0883. Statistical Index method shows that LSI value less than -3.038251 was classified as low susceptibility zone, values between -3.038251 and -1.870643 was considered as medium susceptibility zones and more than -1.870643 was considered as high susceptibility zone respectively. Thus, these maps can be used for slope management, land use planning and disaster management planning by the concerned authorities.