Terrain geohazards and sustainable engineering in Ladakh, India

Hearn, G. J.; Shilston, D T

doi:10.1144/qjegh2016-143

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…This methodology for this work is, in part, inspired by workers such as (Cronin et al, 2004;District Disaster Management Plan, Leh, 2011;Dransch et al, 2010;Greiving, 2006;Le Masson, 2015;Hearne and Shilston, 2017;Kaur et al, 2018;Papathoma-KÖhle et al, 2016;Shah et al, 2018;UNISDR, 2006). Le Masson (2015) examines a range of social dynamics that impact upon DRR in Ladakh, including the increase in nuclear families, the reduction in polyandry, changing demographics, historical/cultural influences, the presence of Buddhism/Islam, colonial history, and remote geographies.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interconnected geoscience applied to disaster and risk: case study from SECMOL, Ladakh, N. India

Petterson

Nanayakkara²,

Konchok³

et al. 2019

DPM

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to apply the concept of “Interconnected Geoscience” to a disaster and risk reduction (DRR) case study at SECMOL College, near Leh, Ladakh, N. India. Interconnected geoscience is a model that advocates holistic approaches to geoscience for development. This paper reports research/practical work with Ladakhi students/staff, undertaking community-oriented DRR exercises in hazard awareness, DRR themed village/college mapping, vulnerability assessments and DRR management scenario development. The geoscientific hazard analysis work is published within a separate sister paper, with results feeding into this work. This work addresses aspects of, and contributes to, the DRR research(science)-policy-interface conversation. Design/methodology/approach Interconnected geoscience methodologies for DRR here are: the application of geoscience for hazard causality, spatial distribution, frequency and impact assessment, for earthquakes, floods and landslides, within the SECMOL area; the generation of community-developed DRR products and services of use to a range of end-users; the development of a contextual geoscience approach, informed by social-developmental-issues; and the active participation of SECMOL students/teachers and consequent integration of local world-views and wisdom within DRR research. Initial DRR awareness levels of students were assessed with respect to earthquakes/floods/landslides/droughts. Following hazard teaching sessions, students engaged in a range of DRR exercises, and produced DRR themed maps, data, tables and documented conversations of relevance to DRR management. Findings Students levels of hazard awareness were variable, generally low for low-frequency hazards (e.g. earthquakes) and higher for hazards such as floods/landslides which either are within recent memory, or have higher frequencies. The 2010 Ladakhi flood disaster has elevated aspects of flood-hazard knowledge. Landslides and drought hazards were moderately well understood. Spatial awareness was identified as a strength. The application of an interconnected geoscience approach immersed within a student+staff college community, proved to be effective, and can rapidly assess/build upon awareness levels and develop analytical tools for the further understanding of DRR management. This approach can assist Ladakhi regional DRR management in increasing the use of regional capability/resources, and reducing the need for external inputs. Practical implications A series of recommendations for the DRR geoscience/research-policy-practice area include: adopting an “interconnected geoscience” approach to DRR research, involving scientific inputs to DRR; using and developing local capability and resources for Ladakhi DRR policy and practice; using/further-developing DRR exercises presented in this paper, to integrate science with communities, and further-empower communities; taking account of the findings that hazard awareness is variable, and weak, for potentially catastrophic hazards, such as earthquakes, when designing policy and practice for raising DRR community awareness; ensuring that local values/world views/wisdom inform all DRR research, and encouraging external “experts” to carefully consider these aspects within Ladakh-based DRR work; and further-developing DRR networks across Ladakh that include pockets of expertise such as SECMOL. Originality/value The term “interconnected geoscience” is highly novel, further developing thinking within the research/science-policy-practice interface. This is the first time an exercise such as this has been undertaken in the Ladakh Himalaya.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interconnected geoscience applied to disaster and risk: case study from SECMOL, Ladakh, N. India

Petterson

Nanayakkara²,

Konchok³

et al. 2019

DPM

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“…The size of the areas affected will require the deployment of certain types of UAS (Section 4.3) for particular applications. In India, rural areas can also present access, travel time and maintenance challenges [82,94] with landslides limiting access to remote areas [95,96].…”

Section: The Deployment Decision Approach To An Indian Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guidelines for the Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems in Flood Emergency Response

Salmoral

Casado

Muthusamy

et al. 2020

Water

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There is increasing interest in using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in flood risk management activities including in response to flood events. However, there is little evidence that they are used in a structured and strategic manner to best effect. An effective response to flooding is essential if lives are to be saved and suffering alleviated. This study evaluates how UAS can be used in the preparation for and response to flood emergencies and develops guidelines for their deployment before, during and after a flood event. A comprehensive literature review and interviews, with people with practical experience of flood risk management, compared the current organizational and operational structures for flood emergency response in both England and India, and developed a deployment analysis matrix of existing UAS applications. An online survey was carried out in England to assess how the technology could be further developed to meet flood emergency response needs. The deployment analysis matrix has the potential to be translated into an Indian context and other countries. Those organizations responsible for overseeing flood risk management activities including the response to flooding events will have to keep abreast of the rapid technological advances in UAS if they are to be used to best effect.

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“…Flooding takes many forms, such as fluvial flooding in the valley floors, flash floods in the mountain streams, cloudbursts, glacial lake outburst floods and landslide dam-breach floods [10,11]. Mass movements are common, with debris flows, landslides, slumps, avalanches and rockfalls often blocking roads during periods of precipitation and extreme drought [13]. Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh in India share contested borders with Pakistan and China.…”

Section: Hazards In Ladakhmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Leh city and the surrounding villages are primarily located on slopes of unconsolidated sediments within an arid high mountain landscape in the rain shadow of mountain ranges [10,13]. On 5th and 6th August 2010, intense rain fell throughout the night, and debris flows began at around 09:00 on the 6th, flowing through Leh city centre as shown in Fig.…”

Section: The Scenariomentioning

confidence: 99%

Disaster scenario simulation of the 2010 cloudburst in Leh, Ladakh, India

Mueller

Sammonds

Bhat

et al. 2019

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

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In August 2010, Leh district in the Ladakh region of north-western India experienced a disaster when a cloudburst generated debris flows, killed hundreds of people, destroyed houses, and damaged the hospital, communication infrastructure, the bus station, and vital roads. A simulation of the Leh cloudburst disaster analysed the disaster itself, disaster risk reduction plans in the region, gaps in existing response mechanisms and reducing hazard impacts in the future. The participant group comprised academic researchers and industry experts in natural hazards, social vulnerability, engineering, historical and social sciences, education, journalism, disaster management and disaster risk reduction. Many of the participants had extensive local

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Terrain geohazards and sustainable engineering in Ladakh, India

Cited by 5 publications

References 29 publications

Interconnected geoscience applied to disaster and risk: case study from SECMOL, Ladakh, N. India

Interconnected geoscience applied to disaster and risk: case study from SECMOL, Ladakh, N. India

Guidelines for the Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems in Flood Emergency Response

Disaster scenario simulation of the 2010 cloudburst in Leh, Ladakh, India

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