Landslides in a changing tropical environment: the North Tanganyika–Kivu rift region, Africa

• DOI: 10.5194/icg2022-164
• Publication Date: 2022-06-20T13:56:23Z
• Authors: Olivier Dewitte; Arthur Depicker; Jean-Claude Maki ...; Charles Bielders; Axel Deijns; Stijn Dewaele; Gerard Govers; Liesbet Jacobs; Violet Kanyiginya; François Kervyn; Matthieu Kervyn; Désiré Kubwimana; Toussaint Mugaruk...; Charles Nzolang; Pascal Sibomana; Ronald Twongyirwe; Matthias Vanmaercke; Antoine Dille
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 11. Sustainability; 15. Life on land

<p>Tropical mountainous regions are commonly identified as landslide hotspots with particularly vulnerable populations. Anthropogenic factors are assumed to play a role in the occurrence and impact of landslides in these populated regions, yet the relative importance of these human-induced factors remains poorly documented. In this work, we explore the impact of forest cover dynamics, agricultural land management practices, urbanisation, roads, and mining/quarrying activities on the occurrence of landslides and their associated risk in the North Tanganyika–Kivu Rift, an area that stretches at the border of four countries in Africa. Using a holistic approach that combines extensive fieldwork, optical and SAR/InSAR satellite remote sensing, time-series analysis, UAS image acquisition, historical photograph processing, citizen science and geomorphic marker understanding, our study demonstrates the role of human activities on the frequency, size and deformation patterns of landslides in the region, in both rural and urban environments. The interaction between uplift associated with the continental rifting in the region, fluvial incision, and the (human-induced) landslides are also key elements that are considered in our analysis. Overall, we highlight the need to consider the human context when studying hillslope instabilities in regions under anthropogenic pressure.</p><div></div>