Interferometry SAR for landslide Hazard Assessment in Garhwal Himalaya, India

Landslides are a major geological hazard in Garhwal Himalayas, since they are widespread dynamic processes that cause damage, and even loss of life, every year. Development of urban areas, Highway construction and expanded land use in Garhwal Himalaya mountain regions has increased the incidence of landslide disasters. The enormous damage caused by landslides can be reduced by means of monitoring systems used for mitigation strategies. Monitoring systems help to forecast the evolution of an area, analyze the kinematics and geometry of failures, and define the history of a failed slope. Conventional monitoring techniques, such as inclinometers, extensometers or GPS provide information on accessible points throughout landslide areas. Space borne or ground-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry has been shown to be an effective complementary tool for landslide monitoring. The present study illustrates some current and potential uses of satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) for landslide assessment in Garhwal Himalaya.