Empirical Intensity-Duration-based Rainfall Threshold for Landslides Initiation in Palpa District of Nepal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64862/ajeg.2025.2sp.116.267Keywords:
Landslide, Rainfall threshold, Intensity-duration curve, Early warningAbstract
Landslides in the Lesser Himalaya are closely controlled by monsoon rainfall, fragile geology, and human disturbances. This study establishes practical rainfall thresholds for landslide initiation in Palpa District, west-central Nepal, using a district-wide inventory and rainfall records from 2009–2024. Intensity–duration (I–D) pairs were derived using observed and estimated sub-daily rainfall, and thresholds were developed following empirical methods used in Nepal. The preferred curve, I = 58.67 D⁻⁰·⁸⁴, indicates that around 97 mm of daily rainfall can trigger failures. Thresholds at multiple non-exceedance probabilities, along with spatial patterns of landslides and soil properties, support early warning and risk reduction efforts in Palpa.
References
Dahal, R. K. (2012). Rainfall-induced landslides in Nepal. International Journal of Japan Erosion Control Engineering, 5(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.13101/ijece.5.1
Dahal, R. K., and Hasegawa, S. (2008). Representative rainfall thresholds for landslides in the Nepal Himalaya. Geomorphology, 100(3–4), 429–443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.01.014
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