Landslides: Challenges and Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

Landslides are among the most significant natural hazards worldwide, causing extensive financial and human losses and destroying natural resources annually. Therefore, comprehensive investigation of these hazards is an unavoidable requirement for future human life. A landslide is a natural disaster that claims human and animal victims every year. In addition to loss of life, landslides cause millions of dollars in financial damage globally. According to NASA records, the highest numbers of landslides occurred in Brazil, India, China, Peru, Afghanistan, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines between 1900 and 2011, resulting in heavy human and financial losses (USGS, 2014). A landslide is the movement of a portion of earth materials and is a general term for the downward movement of rock fragments and detached masses under the influence of gravity. This process operates on sloping lands and may cause the destruction of houses and facilities, blockage of roads and rivers, and in some cases, when its volume is enormous, it can create a disaster. Afghanistan, due to its high mountains, rugged relief, severe physical erosion, and its location in the Mediterranean–Indonesian seismic belt—especially in the central and northeastern regions—has a high potential for fall and landslide processes. The present study aims to identify the types of landslides, their triggering factors, control methods, and mitigation strategies. This research employs a library-based methodology, including descriptive and analytical approaches. The findings indicate that recognizing the type of landslide and its triggering factors is the first and most important step in reducing associated risks. Furthermore, the implementation of geotechnical, physical, and biotechnical measures can significantly mitigate landslide hazards. The study concludes with recommendations for relevant authorities to allocate specific budgets for landslide hazard assessment and mitigation across Afghanistan.