LANDSLIDE HAZARD ZONATION - A CASE-STUDY IN GARHWAL-HIMALAYA, INDIA

Landslides occur frequently in areas prone to earthquakes and neotectonic activities. The identification and classification of hazard prone areas according to the degree of actual or potential danger is a necessary step in hazard assessment. This paper describes the methods of landslide hazard zonation that were tested in the Srinagar-Rudraprayag area of the Garhwal Himalaya. The factors of slope angle, lithology, distance from a major geological discontinuity, land use, drainage, relative relief, and existing landslides all contribute to slope instability. These are analyzed in relation to landslide frequency and are numerically weighted based on their relative importance. From this, the study area has been classified into five zones of instability and the results have been verified in the field. The map of this landslide hazard zonation may serve as a base for further study.