Roads and landslides in Nepal: how development  affects environmental risk

McAdoo, Brian G.; Quak, Michelle; Gnyawali, Kaushal R.; Adhikari, Basanta R.; Devkota, Sanjaya; Rajbhandari, Purna Lal; Sudmeier-Rieux, Karen

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3203-2018

Articles | Volume 18, issue 12

https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3203-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

Landslide–transport network interactions

https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3203-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 18, issue 12

Research article

|

30 Nov 2018

Research article |

| 30 Nov 2018

Roads and landslides in Nepal: how development affects environmental risk

Brian G. McAdoo, Michelle Quak, Kaushal R. Gnyawali, Basanta R. Adhikari, Sanjaya Devkota, Purna Lal Rajbhandari, and Karen Sudmeier-Rieux

Data sets

Landslides in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal before and after the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake R. G. Kaushal, R. A. Basanta, and B. G. McAdoo https://doi.org/10.25540/svdq-k443

Short summary

Road development in Nepal promises to improve access to markets, education and healthcare, but not without hazardous consequences. Using GIS maps of monsoon-triggered landslides, we show that rural roads are responsible for doubling the number of landslides in one mountainous district. Engineers are seeking sustainable and affordable eco-solutions to help stabilize these roads in order to prevent further loss of life and property as Nepal approaches this next phase in its development.