Most Sanjida Anjum Suchi

Remote Sensing-Based Mapping and Analysis of Landslides to Support Humanitarian Aid

Internship | April – June 2025 | Department of Geoinformatics (Z_GIS), University of Salzburg, Austria

Overview

I completed a 12-week internship at Z_GIS within the Earth Observation and Natural Hazards Research Group, focusing on landslide mapping and disaster risk reduction in southeastern Africa (Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique). The project addressed the impacts of Cyclone Freddy (2023), which triggered widespread flooding and slope failures.

Key Tasks

• Evaluated EO-based landslide services (e.g., UGLC)
• Compiled a landslide events table for Malawi
• Collected and documented GIS datasets (DEM, LULC, rainfall, forest change)
• Conducted manual landslide digitization in Malawi and Madagascar
• Implemented Google Earth Engine workflows (NDVI loss, Sentinel-1 backscatter)
• Tested ESA Charter Mapper platform for rapid disaster mapping
• Produced accuracy checks and preliminary reference datasets
• Contributed to AGIT conference dissemination (poster/StoryMap)

Results

• Dataset library for Malawi
• Digitized landslide polygons and validation material
• NDVI-based change detection maps (Sentinel-2)
• Madagascar landslide reference dataset
• Workflow documentation for Charter Mapper

Learning Outcomes

• Gained technical skills in remote sensing, GEE, and Charter Mapper
• Strengthened expertise in hazard mapping and accuracy assessment
• Understood challenges of mapping in data-poor tropical regions
• Improved research communication through reporting and presentations

Future Perspectives

• Incorporating higher-resolution optical and SAR data (PlanetScope, VHR, Sentinel-1)
• Expanding validation with field surveys or citizen science
• Enhancing integration of EO products in humanitarian workflows