Geology

Geomorphology

Landslide

Geography

Hydrology (agriculture)

Fault scarp

Physical geography

Slope stability

Seismology

Fault (geology)

Geotechnical engineering

Landslide classification

Geoscience Frontiers

This work aims to understand the process of potential landslide damming using slope failure mechanism, dam dimension and dam stability evaluation. The Urni landslide, situated on the right bank of the Satluj River, Himachal Pradesh (India) is taken as the case study. The Urni landslide has evolved into a complex landslide in the last two decade (2000–2016) and has dammed the Satluj River partially since year 2013, damaging ∼200 m stretch of the National Highway (NH-05). The crown of the landslide exists at an altitude of ∼2180–2190 m above msl, close to the Urni village that has a human population of about 500. The high resolution imagery shows ∼50 m long landslide scarp and ∼100 m long transverse cracks in the detached mass that implies potential for further slope failure movement. Further analysis shows that the landslide has attained an areal increase of 103,900 ± 1142 m2 during year 2004–2016. About 86% of this areal increase occurred since year 2013. Abrupt increase in the annual mean rainfall is also ob...

Evaluation of potential landslide damming: Case study of Urni landslide, Kinnaur, Satluj valley, India