Abstract

Determining environmental conditions for rainfall-induced landslides in Central America
Track: Analysis
Authors: Eric Anderson

Rainfall-induced landslides pose a threat to populations and infrastructure in Central America year after year, yet there is relatively little understanding about the relationship between rainfall duration and intensity and slope failures for the region. This paper discusses the efforts to blend in situ, remote sensing, and modeled atmospheric and land surface data in GIS to advance disaster managers' knowledge of environmental conditions that lead to landslides on a more localized scale, spatially and temporally. Inputs include landslide scars derived from optical satellite imagery such as Landsat, ASTER and Formosat-2; rainfall data from weather stations, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and a regional Weather Research Forecast (WRF) model; national and global digital elevation models; national-level lithology including soil characteristics; and land cover. This work contributes to efforts of the Regional Visualization and Monitoring System (SERVIR) to promote and advance applications of Earth observation data for improved decision making.