Environmental Geological Assessments of Kawkhali Upazila, Rangamati, Bangladesh

Abstract

Before starting any development planning, it is crucial to do environmental geological studies of the area. Kawkhali is an upazila in Bangladesh's Rangamati district that is steep and has stunning scenery. Environmental assessments of this Upazila have been made by analyzing environmental elements like landslide hazard, flash flood, riverbank erosion, gully erosion, surface and groundwater condition, land use and cover changes etc. The methods used in the study involved data collection from data processing, analysis and interpretation. Although they have some benefits in the form of flourishing biodiversity, landslides pose the greatest hazard to this area. They cause road and housing damage, blockages in streams and rivers, and erosion of land. Owing to its geographical location near the active Chittagong Myanmar fault zone, this area is also prone to earthquake risk. The rapid increase in population is causing an ongoing depletion of surface and ground water. Again, the increasing population requires more homes, a furniture road, and other amenities. As a result of these demands, the amount of forest and hill area is decreasing, which has a significant impact on the geo-environments. Hence, land use planning for this area should be done effectively to handle this scenario. In addition, hazards mapping needs to be done. Enhanced public awareness is also necessary.