Thammasat University students who are interested in geology, earth science, ecology, environmental studies, disaster prevention, geoscience, and related subjects may find a newly available book useful.
Progress in Landslide Research and Technology is an Open Access book in two volumes so far, available for free download at these links:
https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/60808
https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/60809
The TU Library collection includes many other books about different aspects of landslides.
As students know, landslides are often triggered by a specific event, such as a heavy rainfall, an earthquake, or a slope cut to build a road. Landslides are frequently made worse by human development, mining, and deforestation. Land degradation leads to less stabilization of soil by vegetation. Climate change and other human impact on the environment can increase the frequency of natural events such as extreme weather which lead to landslides.
The website ReliefWeb, a humanitarian information service provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), noted about Thailand: Floods and Landslides – Aug 2021:
Disaster description
According to Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), a low-pressure cell located in the lower parts of Viet Nam together with the Southwest Monsoon that prevails over the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, has brought heavy rains from 27-31 August. This has resulted in flash floods in 10 provinces of Thailand (Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachinburi, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Sa Kaeo, Singburi, and Samut Prakan). According to the DDPM, 65,088 households (estimated 325,440 persons) have reportedly been affected. (AHA Centre, 31 Aug 2021)
Heavy rain has been affecting northern and central Thailand (in particular Prachinburi and Phitsanulok Provinces) since 3 September, causing floods that have resulted in population displacements and damage. The ASEAN Disaster Information Network (ADINet) reports, as of 7 September, 4,135 affected people across the aforementioned Provinces, where Phitsanulok represents the most affected one. (ECHO, 7 Sep 2021)
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, due to the influence of the monsoon trough across the north and the upper northeastern region together with the western monsoon over the Andaman Sea, the South, and the Gulf of Thailand, heavy to very heavy rainfall has reportedly occurred in 14 provinces since 16 Sep 2021. Flooding and landslides have reportedly affected 15,600 households (78,100 persons) across the following provinces: Chiang Mai, Lampang, Tak, Sukhothai, Phetchabun, Phichit, Kamphaeng, Phet, Chaiyaphum, Loei, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachinburi, Chanhaburi, Ayutthaya, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. The situation has been resolved in 10 provinces. (AHA Centre, 19 Sep 2021)
The southwest prevails over the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand, causing heavy to very heavy rainfall in some areas. From 16 September to present, causing flash floods in the area of 17 provinces (Chiang Mai, Lampang, Tak, Sukhothai, Phetchabun, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, Chaiyaphum, Loei, Nakhon Ratchasima, Sisaket, Prachinburi, Sa KaeoChanthaburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Si Thammarat). Total of 16,283 households was affected. At present, the situation has been resolved in 12 provinces. The situation is still present in the 5 provinces. (AHA Centre, 22 Sep 2021)
Widespread floods, flash floods and landslides have been recorded in northern Thailand following the influence of the tropical cyclone DIANMU since 23 September. According to the ASEAN Disaster Information Network (ADINet), in Thailand, at least 300,000 people have been affected in 27 Provinces. (ECHO, 27 Sep 2021) […]
The monsoon season in Thailand has brought heavy rain and flash floods since 23 September. According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation as of 11 October, the total number of affected households has now decreased to about 95,000 from about 141,000 a week earlier. The provincial authorities are providing emergency relief items, including emergency medicine, shelter, safe drinking water and food, with support from the Royal family, Thai Red Cross, the military, and local organizations. (OCHA, 12 Oct 2021)
Over the past few days, heavy rain has been affecting parts of Thailand, causing floods, triggering landslides and resulting in casualties and damage. According to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), in Thailand, one person has been injured and more than 25,000 people have been affected across the Provinces of Chanthaburi, Loei, Lampang, Ranong and Saraburi. (ECHO, 15 Oct 2021)
According to Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), from the 18 to 21 October, heavy rains and the effects of the Southwest Monsoon have caused floods, landslides, winds, and storms in different provinces of Thailand (Kalasin, Roi Et, Uthai Thani, Chachoengsao, Yala, Buri Ram, Chaiyaphum, Chon Buri, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Sa Kaeo, Samut Prakan, Si Sa Ket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Loei, Phayao, Phetchabun, Ratchaburi, Surat Thani, Uttaradit, and Lamphun). A total of 5 different disaster events were reported by the DDPM which in total, have affected around 136,800 persons. No injuries or deaths have been reported and majority of the disaster situations have been resolved. (AHA Centre, 24 Oct 2021)
The publisher’s description of the book notes:
This open access book provides an overview of the progress in landslide research and technology and is part of a book series of the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL). The book provides a common platform for the publication of recent progress in landslide research and technology for practical applications and the benefit for the society contributing to the Kyoto Landslide Commitment 2020, which is expected to continue up to 2030 and even beyond to globally promote the understanding and reduction of landslide disaster risk, as well as to address the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals.
A foreword to the book states:
Landslides are an ever-present hazard in many parts of the globe, resulting in enormous losses of life, infrastructure, and livelihoods. Their causes are both natural, such as earthquakes, and anthropogenic, including deforestation and construction. Landslides may be part of a multi-hazard or cascading hazard event. Additionally, the impact of naturally occurring landslides can be exacerbated by anthropogenic activity. The incidence of and exposure to landslides are increasing with climate change and population growth. Hence, a variety of methods are required to understand, forecast, mitigate, and communicate the risk associated with landslides, involving scientists and social scientists from many different disciplines. The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) has eight associations specializing in particular branches of geodesy and geophysics. Five of them, addressing the sciences of seismology, volcanology, hydrology, the cryosphere, and the atmosphere, are concerned with processes that may result in landslides, and geodesy, a sixth association, investigates changes in the shape of the Earth and its associated gravitational field such as can result from landslides. In addition, IUGG has a number of cross-cutting commissions, including one on geophysical risk and sustainability. Thus, IUGG is highly interested in branches of science that can be responsible for landslides. However, landslides tend to be understudied in comparison with the underlying geophysical processes that may cause them. Hence, initiatives such as the Kyoto Landslides Commitment 2020 are extremely important, and IUGG is pleased to be a supporter.
(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)