Landslide Hazard Zonation (LHZ) Mapping Using RS and GIS Techniques: A Case Study of Kumbur River Basin of Kodaikanal Taluk, Dindigul District, Tamilnadu, India

Landslide is one of the disasters which lead to large-scale damage to properties and life. It frequently occurs in hilly regions like Himalaya, Western and Eastern Ghats. In Tamil Nadu, most of the landslides are often seen in Blue Mountains, Kodaikanal and Yercaud, occasionally in the other areas. Kodaikanal hills are facing two major problems viz. urbanization and environmental degradation. In this study, the landslide hazard zonation maps are prepared based on the causative factors of slope instability, namely thick soil accumulation, lithology, geological structure drainage density, slope morphometry, relative relief, land use and land cover and hydrogeological conditions in facet wise by using BIS code: IS 14496 (Part-2) – 1998. As per BIS classification method, Kumbur River Basin area, the distribution pattern of Landslide Hazard Zonation (LHZ) indicates that in the total 82 facets, 3 facets come under very high hazard category, 17 facets come under high hazard category, 40 facets are present in moderate hazards and remaining 25 facets come under range in low hazard.