Identification of landslide susceptibility zone using GIS and remote sensing based multi-criteria decision analysis method in Telemt District, Ethiopia

Abstract

Landslides are highly destructive geohazard that occurs in various parts of the world, leading to environmental damage, loss of human lives, and destruction of properties. This study employed a multicriteria decision analysis framework and a GIS-based methodology to develop a landslide susceptibility map in the Telemt District in northwest Ethiopia's highlands. Ground truth data and satellite imagery were used in the mapping procedure. Nine criteria were evaluated using the analytical hierarchy process: lithology, lineament density, rainfall, river distance, slope, aspect, NDVI, curvature, and land use/land cover. We classed and weighted each theme component appropriately. The results of the study show that the landslide susceptibility zones were classified as follows: very low (18.4%), low (25.67%), moderate (25.81%), high (20.09%), and very high (10.03%) of the overall landslide area. The research area's northern and western regions, which were distinguished by moderate slopes, flat terrain, and alkaline basaltic rocks, were mostly home to the very low and low landslide susceptibility zones, which accounted for around 44.07% or 1356.14 km 2 . In contrast, the southern, eastern, and central regions of the research area, which were distinguished by steep slopes, high rainfall, and hilly terrain were home to the high to very high landslide susceptibility zones, which covered around 30.1% or 925.63 km 2 . The accuracy of the areas predicted to be susceptible to landslides was validated by comparing them with known landslide locations using the ROC tool in ArcGIS. The AUC results for the AHP model were found to be 74%, suggesting a strong performance. The results of this study will provide important insights into landslide susceptibility for decision-making, rehabilitation efforts, mitigation strategies, and land use planning activities in the region. • The study presents landslide mapping using geospatial and analytic hierarchy process techniques in Telemt district, Ethiopia. • The landslide susceptibility mapping is analyzed using multicriteria decision analysis applied to nine thematic layers. • The study area is divided into five zones and the use of geospatial techniques has proven to be a cost-effective and time-efficient means of identifying landslide prone areas.