Rapid Assessment of Landslide Exposure to Element at Risk: A Decision Support tool in Regional Landslide Forecasting

Effective development of an landslide forecast and its use on ground requires granular knowledge on landslide risk of the area. The lack of detailed landslide impact information, limitations in complete historical landslide inventories, and inherent difficulties in quantifying elements-at-risk have long been a challenge in the development of effective regional landslide risk maps for disaster managers. In this research, we propose a rapid risk assessment methodology that integrates landslide occurrence information, landslide initiation and runout susceptibility, and physical and social parameters from census data. Using this approach, we ranked various administrative blocks in Darjeeling District, West Bengal, India, according to the elements exposed to landslide hazards. In total, 197 villages (Mauzas) were evaluated and ranked based on their exposure to landslides. This quasi-quantitative rapid assessment of administrative units provides valuable input for local authorities in resource management and planning and helps the scientific community prioritize investigations in sectors with higher vulnerability. The resulting risk exposure ranking helps as a decision support tool in regional landslide forecasting and supports informed decision-making for stakeholders.