Landslide Vulnerability Assessment (LVAs): a Case Study From Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

DOI: 10.17014/ijog.4.1.49-59The topic on Landslide Vulnerability Assessment (LVAs) in Malaysia is relatively new and received little attention from geoscientists and engineers. This research paper tries to formulate the concept of LVAs by taking into account the science and socio-economic aspects. A new approach in vulnerability concept is also introduced herein. To achieve this goal, a framework was designed for assessing the LVAs. The framework was formulated semiquantitatively through the development of database for the risk elements (human and properties) based on information from secondary data (technical reports), extensive review of literature, and field observations. The vulnerability parameters included in assessing LVAs are 1) physical implication (building structures, internal materials, property damage, infrastructural facilities, and stabilization actions), 2) social status (injury, fatalities, safety, loss of accommodation, and public awareness), and 3) interference on environment (affected period, daily operation, and diversity). Each considered parameter in the vulnerability assessment is allocated with a certain index value ranges from 0 (0 % damage/victims/period), 0.25 (1 - 25% damage/victims/period), 0.50 (26 - 50% damage/victims/period), 0.75 (51 - 75% damage/victims/period), and 1.00 (75 - 100% damage/victims/period). All of these parameters are compiled and analyzed with “Landslide Distribution Map” (LDM) to generate a “Landslide Vulnerability Degree map (LVD)”. The LDM was produced based on field studies and satellite image interpretations in order to locate the landslide locations in the studied area. Finally, three types of physical, human, and environment vulnerabilities were then classified into five classes of vulnerabilities, namely: Class 1 (< 0.20): Very Low Vulnerability; Class 2 (0.21 - 0.40): Low Vulnerability; Class 3 (0.41 - 0.60): Medium Vulnerability; Class 4 (0.61 - 0.80): High Vulnerability); and Class 5 (> 0.81): Very High Vulnerability. Results from this study indicate that a further study is needed to the areas of high to very high vulnerability only. This LVAs approach is suitable as a guideline for preliminary development planning, controlling, and managing the landslide hazard /risk in the studied area and potentially to be extended with different background environments

Reviewing the Impact of Earthquakes on Flood Occurrence: Insights from Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia

This study investigates the trends and processes of flooding in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia, following the 2015 Ranau Earthquake. The earthquake caused landslides that altered river systems and significantly impacted flood patterns. Using an interdisciplinary methodology, we examined geological processes, river morphology, sediment dynamics, and erosion mechanisms to understand the correlation between geological forces and flooding. The investigation spanned a decade (2010-2020), revealing an increase in flood incidents post-earthquake. Key findings include the impact of sediment dynamics on river behavior, the role of river morphology, and the importance of erosion and sedimentation in flood timing. This research offers valuable insights into disaster management strategies, emphasizing the need for understanding geological influences on flood susceptibility

A Geographically Weighted Regression Kriging Approach for Mapping Swelling Potential of Garinono Formation Soil

The Beluran-Telupid road is notoriously known for its deterioration which sits on Garinono Formation soil and is rich with argillaceous melange. This contributed to inconvenience to motorists apart from being perilous when the subgrade of the road starts to degrade. A geographically weighted regression kriging was conducted along the road based on 25 samples to generate a swelling potential map. The results from the samples have reaffirmed the argillaceous nature of the soil due to the high composition of fine grains mainly clay, especially at the midsection. Nevertheless, after computation, most of the soils have medium swelling potential. After geographically weighted regression kriging was conducted, certain areas are defined as areas which have high swelling potential. Methodologies in this study increase the chances to validate swelling potentials and reduce the gap which is missing in the construction industry involving public road and geotechnical projects

Flood Frequency Analysis of Kadamaian and Wariu Rivers in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia

Flood frequency analysis is crucial for understanding flood risks in specific regions. This study applied the Gumbel Distribution Method to analyze flood frequency using river discharge data from the Kadamaian and Wariu Rivers in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia. The analysis involved data collection, parameter estimation, goodness-of-fit testing, and determination of annual recurrence intervals (ARIs). The study found that the ARIs for the Kadamaian and Wariu Rivers are 50 years and 30 years, respectively, highlighting the need for targeted flood mitigation strategies in these areas. These findings emphasize the higher flood risk in the Kadamaian River basin, necessitating more robust flood control measures compared to the Wariu River basin. The Gumbel distribution provided accurate flood frequency estimations validated by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and correlation coefficient (R2). The calculated ARIs offer valuable insights for flood hazard assessment and contingency planning. These findings underscore the importance of accurate flood frequency analysis in enhancing flood mitigation strategies and disaster preparedness. It is recommended that local authorities incorporate these results into flood management and urban planning initiatives

Soil Erosion Analysis using RUSLE Model at the Minitod Area, Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract Soil erosion is one of the leading causes of soil degradation and is often associated with agricultural intensification, deforestation and human activities that did not take care of environmental sustainability. Assessing the soil erosion is essential, and therefore, detail assessment on the prediction of soil erosion and its impacts has been carried out spatially using the application of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) at the Minitod area, Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia. The parameters of the RUSLE model were determined using the Geographical Information System (GIS). There are six factors parameter maps were considered in RUSLE; rainfall erosivity factor (R), soil erodibility (K), slope length and steepness (LS), cover management(C) and conservation practice (P). These factors were calculated to determine their effects on annual soil erosion in the study area. About 36.65% of the study area was classified as very low, 16% as low, 15.71% as moderate, 21.59% as high and 10.09% as very high. Soil erosion hazard has been identified using the model and found to be significant in areas with a slope above 25°. All findings showed that integration of GIS could be used for spatial analysis on a regional scale. Production of the value maps can be applied to development planning areas, especially for housing and agriculture developments.</jats:p

WRAN system on ZBC TV: A new way to internet connectivity for rural areas in Zimbabwe

Wireless Regional Access Network (WRAN) is increasingly becoming the focus architecture for future rural and remote areas access network. In Zimbabwe, internet connectivity to the rural areas is crucial but is hindered by what is called the Zimbabwean problem. In this paper brief discussions of existing technologies deployed for rural communications elsewhere in the world and recent technologies such as cognitive radio (CR) networks are explored for solutions to the Zimbabwean problem. In the process, WRAN, which exhibits extended coverage range, increased cell capacity and utilises idle TV spectrum and saves on deployment costs, was identified as a suitable broadband access candidate for providing connectivity to the rural areas of Zimbabwe. A design network structure is proposed and a basic CR simulation in MATLAB, and employing, power spectrum density estimation model for sensing, to show the possibility of harnessing idle Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) TV channels using CR technology is successfully run. A number of implementation challenges such as the effect of antenna height on the hidden terminal problem, MIMO incorporation in order to mitigate for such effects in WRAN networks, the investigation and mitigation of interference contribution from remote television stations, WRAN networks and other primary stations and users are discussed

Geohazard Assessment in the Kota Kinabalu area, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract This study focused on the Flood Susceptibility Analysis (FSA) and Landslide Susceptibility Analysis (LSA)of the Kota Kinabalu area, Sabah by using Multi Criteria Evaluation Model (MCE) for FSA and Deterministic Model for LSA. The study area had been affected by flood and landslide throughout the years. The aims of this study are to determine the flood susceptibility level and landslide susceptibility level of the study area and to identify the contributing factors that leads to the geohazards. Thus, a few mitigation measures can be recommended. The contributing factors that leads to the geohazards had been identified through desk studies and fieldwork. The data were obtained and digitized using ArcGIS software and the thematic maps were produced. The factors that contributing to the geohazards such as slope gradient, elevation, topographic curvature, flow accumulation and drainage distance were retrieved from the topographic database, whereas the land use, rainfall, soil types and soil properties were obtained from various agencies. Several areas are considered as susceptible, such as areas of Taman Kingfisher, Kg. Bantayan, Menggatal area, and Kg. Tebobon. To avoid or minimize the flood disasters, the Flood Susceptibility Level Map and the Landslide Susceptibility Map can be used in future development planning and a few structural controls can be implemented such as the land use planning of the area and hazard zoning. This study can be used as a resource for consulting, planning agencies and local governments in managing risk, land-use zoning and remediation efforts to mitigate risks.</jats:p

Kesediaan Murid Generasi-Z di SMK Badin Tuaran dalam Pembelajaran Teradun Bahasa Melayu dalam Era Covid-19

Krisis Pandemik COVID-19 telah mencetuskan suatu norma baharu terhadap gaya pembelajaran konvensional. Keadaan ini telah mendesak suatu gaya pembelajaran yang dirasakan sesuai iaitu Pembelajaran Teradun. Pembelajaran Teradun merupakan penerapan gabungan teknologi e-pembelajaran dengan pembelajaran bersemuka yang dikenali sebagai Pembelajaran Teradun. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti tahap kesediaan murid Generasi-Z (Gen-Z) SMK Badin Tuaran dalam Pembelajaran Teradun bahasa Melayu. Kaedah kuantitatif telah digunakan dalam kajian ini melalui edaran instrumen soal selidik atas talian dengan lima Skala Likert. Kebolehpercayaan soal selidik pada nilai Alfa Cronbach (α) 0.795. Seramai 126 orang responden yang terdiri daripada murid Tingkatan 4 SMK Badin Tuaran, Sabah terlibat sebagai responden kajian. Data dianalisis menggunakan program SPSS 27.0 dengan menumpukan kepada analisis statistik deskriptif. Dapatan kajian mendapati bahawa tahap kesediaan murid dalam pembelajaran bahasa Melayu di Internet berada pada tahap sederhana dengan skor min 3.46. Manakala tahap kesediaan murid bagi Pembelajaran Teradun bahasa Melayu pula berada pada tahap tinggi (M=3.82). Keadaan ini menjelaskan bahawa kajian berkaitan Pembelajaran Teradun perlu lebih giat dijalankan pada masa akan datang kerana gaya pembelajaran ini dapat mengisi ruang kelompangan dalam kekangan pembelajaran bersemuka semasa krisis dan juga bencana

Flood Susceptibility Analysis (FSAn) Using Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) Technique for Landuse Planning: A Case from Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract Flooding is one of the main natural disasters in Sabah, Malaysia. Several current cases of disastrous flooding were recorded particularly in Penampang area, Sabah (e.g. July 1999; October 2010; April 2013; October &amp; December 2014). Substantial downpour has triggered floods and caused extreme loss in Penampang area. The 2014 floods have affected 40,000 people from 70 villages. The objectives of this research are (i) To determine the factors contributing to the flood occurrences; (ii) To analyst the Flood Susceptibility Level (FSL); and (iii) and to produce the flood hazard map for the study area. In this study, eight (8) parameters were considered in relation to the causative factors to flooding, which are: rainfall, slope gradient, elevation, drainage density, land use, soil textures, slope curvatures and flow accumulation. Flood Susceptibility Analysis (FSAn) map was produced based on the data collected from the field survey, laboratory analysis, high resolution digital radar images (IFSAR) acquisition, and secondary data in year 2014. FSL was defined using Multi Criteria Evaluation (MCE) technique integrated with GIS software. Based on the FSAn, approximately 3.17% of total study area classified as Very High Hazard (VHH), 4.55% as High Hazard (HH), 15.52% as Moderate Hazard (MH), 15.72% as Low Hazard (LH) dan 61.04% as Very Low Hazard (VLH) respectively. Based on the risk rate, requirements for the development procedure has been recommended in this paper. The map produced will be a very useful source for consulting, planning agencies and local governments in managing risk, land-use zoning and redressal efforts to mitigate risks. Besides, the method used in this study can easily be applied to other areas, where other factors may be considered, depending on the convenience of data.</jats:p