We explore the challenges of avalanche and debris flow hazard assessment for urban areas exposed in the Sakhalin region. Avalanches are a threat to more than 60 settlements in the region and debris flows to more than 30. Data are provided for avalanche and debris flow events that occurred in the Sakhalin region between 1928 and 2015. In this paper, the method for the design of hazard maps for snow avalanches and debris flows is described, providing the starting point for any planning constraints in general settlement planning schemes. These maps further allow conducting an assessment of avalanche and debris flow risk within a short time period for a larger territory and at minimum cost.
The problem of the interaction between human activity and mudflow processes is currently important for the Sakhalin Island, where debris flow occurrences have been repeatedly observed in recent decades. At the present time, this interaction increases due to the extension urban territories into debris flows transit and accumulation zones, including rock spoil heaps in debris flow prone areas. This paper describes several debris flow occurrences associated with human activity in Sakhalin, as well as the characteristics of anthropogenic debris flows and consequent damage. An evaluation of changes in debris flow activity in flow prone zones was carried out based on field observations and satellite image analysis. It is suggested that the most serious damage is caused by debris flows occurences from quarries because of the large sizes of rock spoil heaps.