Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: A Case Study of Cauvery Basin and East Flowing Rivers South of Cauvery Basin, India

Abstract

Landslide is a geological phenomenon which is directly and indirectly creates effects on life. It causes human property damages, roads breaking, building collapsing, other construction devastation and also huge loss of life. To manage such kind of hazard there is a need to identify landslide prone zones. This paper addressed a GIS based spatial data analysis for landslide susceptibility mapping in Cauvery and East Flowing Rivers South of Cauvery Basin, India. Seven important causative factors for landslide were selected and thematic data layers were prepared in GIS and Remote Sensing environment. Ranks and numerical weights for all the thematic data layers and their classes have been given by using two methods namely Expertise Weights Method (EWM) and Factor’s Probability Weights (FPW) and then integrated in GIS platform and prepared landslide susceptibility map of the area. The landslide susceptibility map classifies the area into four classes of landslide susceptibility zones such as; Very Low, Low, Moderate and High. The maximum area is occupied by Very Low and Low Landslide Susceptibility Zone. An attempt has been made for landslide susceptibility map validation with Geological Survey of India (GSI) published landslide zone map and found satisfactory result.

Keywords: Landslide, GIS, remote sensing, EWM, FPW