Urgent Need for Application of Integrated Landslide Risk Management Strategies for the Polog Region in R. of Macedonia

Abstract

Results from a recent study on landslide distribution in the Republic of Macedonia have shown that the northwest part of the country is most prone to landsliding processes. In the past, there have been numerous landslides which have caused great damage to the infrastructure and endangered many villages. The last catastrophic event occurred on 3rd of August 2015 in the wider area of town Tetovo. The triggering factor for flooding and number of slope mass movements was heavy rainfall. The storms and floods were described as the worst to hit the area in over a decade. Relevant seismic events before and during the rainfall were not recorded. As a result of fast debris flow, 6 people lost their lives in Poroj village, while parts of it were covered by deep debris deposits. Roads and communal infrastructure in the entire region suffered of significant damages which caused problems in search and rescue operations. The study area Polog is located in the foothills of the Sar Mountain and divided by the river Pena. The broad area of the Municipality Tetovo itself has complex geological and tectonic conditions which also contributed to the degree of damage of the affected areas. Therefore, Tetovo and surrounding areas are vulnerable to both storm run-off and river flooding and consequently to different slope mass movements processes. In order to prevent such disasters in the future it is crucial to develop an integrated landslide risk management strategy. Efforts are made to prepare basic landslide susceptibility map of the region, which can serve as an integral part in the development of the strategy. Certain applications for risk management projects have been submitted by teams of domestic and international experts, which if approved can be of great value for the regional and local population and infrastructure.