GIS-based landslide susceptibility mapping using analytical hierarchy process: a case study of Astore region, Pakistan

Abstract

In this study, landslide susceptibility analysis were undertaken in the Astore region, Pakistan. The Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) techniques were used along with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to find out the landslide susceptibility of the region. The Astore, lying in the Himalayan mountains, experiences frequent landslides due to several triggering factors. Factors including slope, lithology, aspect, topographic wetness index (TWI), plan curvature, stream power index (SPI), distance from drainage, land use land cover (LULC) and soil were used. Each factor was processed in the GIS environment and weighted through the AHP technique. AHP weights were derived with a consistency ratio of 0.06. Finally, the five zones, very low, low, moderate, high, and very high are respectively covering 20.5% (28.98 km2), 33.1% (46.78 km2), 30.6% (43.26 km2), 10.8% (15.28 km2), and 4.9% (6.92 km2). Slope, lithology and LULC were the most important factors in triggering landslides.

Keywords

• landslide susceptibility
• gis
• ahp
• astore
• lithology