LANDSLIDE HAZARD MAPPING

Landslide Hazard Mapping

Abstract

Almost 15000 of landslides both coastal and inland have been documented in the United Kingdom. There have been some well known and largest landslide complexes in coastal settings. The growth in demand of residential, infrastructure and commercial development near coastal areas has intensified in current years. This high demand of residential and commercial infrastructure requires effective and efficient landslide hazard mapping. With a recent mean cost of 126 million pounds each year, we can observe that landslide hazards in coastal areas are becoming a major concern. Thus, this paper will discuss the current status of landslide events in United Kingdom. Moreover, the paper will focus on currently used methods of landslide hazard mapping in United Kingdom.

Landslide Hazard Mapping

Introduction

Landlines are considered to be one of the major natural tragedies all across the world. The disaster of landlines has been accountable for huge economic and social losses fro such population which resides in mountains. Loss of property and lives because of the disaster of landslide flood has been considerably high all across the world annually (Geenbaum, 1995, Pp.2-3). The tool of landslide hazard mapping is of great significance for basic data collection, management of collected data which consequently helps in managing disaster. The facility of landslide hazard mapping provides necessary knowledge regarding the susceptibility conditions of landslide of particular zone. This knowledge assists for the community in mitigating, avoiding and planning the danger related to landslide hazards (SafeLand, 2011, Pp.56-58). Moreover, the mapping of landslide hazards of particular region help in monitoring landslides as well as outlining areas which needs mitigation measures. Thus, the tool of landslide hazards mapping assist in monitoring as well as highlighting such zone which embrace landslides in order to consider mitigation measures.

There are several methods and techniques that have been demonstrated and proposed for mitigating measures within the United Kingdom. The GIS i.e. Geographic Information Systems is being increasingly used in landslide hazard evaluation on consistent basis in last few years in United Kingdom (ODA, 2003, p.4). The paper will discuss the present status of landslide hazard mapping within the United Kingdom. Moreover, the paper will focus on the method that is being carried out for landslide hazards mapping. These considerations will help in enhancing the landslide hazards mitigations within the mountainous regions in United Kingdom through the provision of effective and efficient landslide hazards mapping methods (ODA, 2003, p.4).

Discussion

Current Status of Landslide Hazards in United Kingdom

According to the National Assessments related to landslide hazards in the United Kingdom slope instability and landsliding is identified as a considerable geohazard all around the Great Britain. The recent evaluation of landslide hazards in the United Kingdom was accomplished in order to realize the need of landslide hazards mapping in the UK (Gibson et al., 2013, p.n.d.). There have been almost 14,500 landslide records all across the Great Britain. According to the annual statistics of the year 2012, it is estimated that the year of 2012 has been the second wettest year in the ...