Articles | Volume 18, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3203-2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3203-2018
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

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Cited articles

BBC – British Broadcasting Corporation: Landslides triggered by rain kill at least 29, available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33714147 (last access: 21 November 2018), 2015. 
Bhandary, N. P., Yatabe, R., Dahal, R. K., Hasegawa, S. and Inagaki, H.: Areal distribution of large-scale landslides along highway corridors in central Nepal, Georisk: Assess. Manage. Risk Eng. Syst. Geohaz., 7, 1–20, 2013. 
Bharti, V., Singh, C., Ettema, J., and Turkington, T. A. R.: Spatiotemporal characteristics of extreme rainfall events over the Northwest Himalaya using satellite data, Int. J. Climatol., 36, 3949–3962, 2016. 
Bhushal, R.: One Belt, One Road Fuels Nepal's Dreams, The Wire (India), available at: https://thewire.in/156554/nepal-china-obor-transport-infrastructure (last access: 21 November 2018), 2017. 
Brown, S. R.: A note on the description of surface roughness using fractal dimension, Geophys. Res. Lett., 14, 1095–1098, 1987. 
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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.
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