Elevation and Slope as Key Determinants of Landslide-Prone Areas in Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

Landslide studies in Kenya have received less interest as opposed to other regions of the world. Murang’a County in Central Kenya presents a unique case of geographical interest not only due to its positioning within the alpine Aberdare Ranges but also because it has experienced serious, deadly and repeated landslide disasters. This study seeks to ascertain whether elevation and slope are key determinants of landslide in the county. Primary data collection instruments were Household (HH) questionnaires where a sample size of 393 HH was sampled at a confidence level of 95%. Secondary data for elevation and slope were derived from satellite imagery. A significant 95.5% of the respondents said that slope was a major landslide causal/trigger factor. A significant number of people (r=0.806) who had migrated to their current locations described steepness as a major causal/trigger factor. Elevation factor was mentioned by 90.2% of the respondents as a key factor contributing to the occurrence of landslides. The study concludes that elevation and slope are key and significant landslide causal/trigger factors in Murang’a County. The study recommends that people living in areas delineated as ‘high-risk zones’ should be advised to relocate to safer grounds to avert huge losses from potential landslide disasters.