The Role of Natural Hazards and Socio-Cultural Factors in Shaping the History of Settlement Locations in the Limi Valley, North-West Nepal

The Limi Valley is a high mountain area adjacent to the Main Himalayan Ridge in the north-west of NepalNépal. The valley’s rugged terrain and harsh climate induce processes that represent multiple hazards for the local Tibetan speaking community. We investigate the complex interrelationship between natural hazards and socio-economic and cultural driving factors for relocation and abandonment of settlements in this high-altitude community. We document past natural disasters and present hazards using historical aerial photographs, satellite imagery, and a detailed Digital Elevation Model derived using Structure from Motion approach. These data were supplemented with accounts from village archives in Tibetan language, interviews with local inhabitants and participant observation. We observed how the various categories of natural hazards are dealt with and re-evaluated against other risks and dangers. We have documented the abandonment and relocations of settlements and monasteries in the Limi ValleyLimi Valley. Change in water availability, outbreaks of epidemics, as well as religious concerns were listed among the likely driving factors for past relocations. The present settlement locations are less safe with respect to natural hazards and discusses how local risk perception and adaptation strategies are shaped by multiple, partly competing concerns, of which natural hazards constitute only one.