Introduction - Semi-quantitative Approaches for Landslide Assessment and Prediction - page 16

Fig. 1.11 Down ward movement of fragile slope materials (Source www.dailymail.co.uk )

Landslide Society, www.hils.org.np/publication.hils.org.np ) . Similarly, due to a
rapid increase in population over the Himalayan hills in the last three decades, the
trend of settling in comparatively hazardous areas is increasing. Thus, the rising
levels of risk from the landslides triggered by hydro-meteorological variability
invariably entail considerable loss of life and property losses and inflict signi

cant
damage on the vital economic system of the Himalayan nations (Dahal 2009 ).
A further key issue is the deterioration of the ecological balance and environment of
the Himalayas, most notably through excessive deforestation, soil erosion and river
sedimentation. This is likely to be exacerbated by global warming, which is likely
to cause increased levels of extreme climatic events. Warming is also putting many
Himalayan glacial lakes in great danger of bursting, which may lead to complete
destruction of downstream human settlements and the habitat to world

s rare flora
and fauna. Unfortunately, however, despite the rapid climatic, geomorphological,
environmental and ecological changes taking place in the Himalayas, all of which
can be linked to landslide occurrences, systematic research on landslide processes
and environmental changes in the Himalayas is at best in its infancy. Although
some efforts have been made by the professionals and researchers from government
agencies in, for example, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bhutan as well as from
nongovernmental organizations, international agencies, and academic institutions,
the areas of investigation, the methodologies adopted, and the classi

'

cation criteria
considered in the study differ considerably. Furthermore, there is a serious lack of
knowledge transfer and research output dissemination among the researchers.
Partly, this is because there are very few scienti

c gatherings among the geosci-
entists, environmentalists, and engineers who are involved in Himalayan landslide
and environmental research. To deal with all these issues in the Himalayan Region
and to foster investigations, collaborations, discussions, and integration among the
stakeholders in Himalayan landslide and environmental issues, a common forum of