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.com
Volume 9
Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change
Natural Hazards Congress 2018
July 26-27, 2018
July 26-27, 2018 Melbourne, Australia
2
nd
International Conference on
Natural Hazards and Disaster Management
Managing fragile landscape: Interface analysis of natural-anthropogenic situation
Prem Prasad Paudel
1
, Bimala Devi Devkota
2
and Anu Adhikari
3
1
Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Nepal
2
Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Nepal
3
International Union for Conservation of Nature, Nepal
A
long the north south (about 150 to 250 km) and east west (800 km) transect, Nepal Himalaya comprises three distinct
landscape (High Himalaya, mid-mountain and Siwalik) and are characterized with peculiar features. In this study, the
major hazardous elements and underlying causes are examined. The study mainly concentrates to: (1) What are the major
hazards causing damages to life and properties; (2) What are the direct and underlying causes; (3) What are major mitigation
plans implementing by government, non-government agencies. In mid-mountain, soil erosion (both mass movement and
surface erosion) are prominent while in Siwalik landslide and flooding and inundation are prominent (annually 300 people
are dying) with annual of about 12.9% of total development expenditure. Similarly, Siwalik area is very young mountain
fragile landscape with structurally weak, characterized with massive erosion (900-20000 ton/km 2/yr.), heavy deforestation
(1.2 percent/year), unconsolidated geological composition (gravel, sandy, schist, phyllite dominated) and located at high
precipitation zone too (2500 to 3500 mm/yr.). There is high drainage density with sudden topographic break in a short range
of distance. River bed gradient is frequently changing with distinct avulsion, bed widening (changed from 100 m to 1 km).
In addition, mid-mountain region, Rural Road construction is rapid through cutting the unstable hilly slopes. An estimated
average of 500 m
3
/km/yr of debris and up to 2000 m
3
/km sediment are generated, which is 10 times greater than those expected
under natural conditions. In steep slope (>30 degree) farming system is common with low productivity. The above mentioned
multi-hazards are directly linked with the livelihood of the people. The government and non-government sectors are joining
hands together with structural and non-structural measures. The ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, soil bioengineering,
farming system improvement, adoption of climate change adaptive/mitigative approaches are major efforts.
paudelpp98@gmail.comJ Earth Sci Clim Change 2018, Volume 9
DOI: 10.4172/2157-7617-C2-043