Landslides hazards assessment using geographic information system and remote sensing: Gakenke District

Abstract

Gakenke district is located in the Northern Province of Rwanda and is known as the district with several landslide events. Assessment of landslide in Rwanda has not been a problem until the weather changed frequently with heavy rainy season. The purpose of conducting this study was due to massive movement of earth having impacts on roads infrastructures, community, and negative impacts for the planners and decision makers. Remote sensing and Geographical Information system methods were used in the study for the assessment of landslide hazard occurrence, weighted overlay model was used where the different triggering factors were considered and scored according to the relationship between causative factor contribution the and landslides and then weighted for producing landslides vulnerability map. The results revealed that Gakenke is vulnerable to landslides and this is due to the most triggering factors: Slope that present 40% with 30% of the land cover in addition to rainfall having 20% and 10% of Gakenke District soil type of this area. Landslide hazard map of Gakenke have been created using GIS by combining the causing factors. Hence, an updated map of exposed areas in Gakenke District to landslide could be prepared taking into account different points.