Landslide hazard in the North Tanganyika - kivu rift zones: current knowledge and research perspective

The North Tanganyika Kivu Rift zones are areas naturally prone to landsliding where triggering and environmental factors that favour the occurrence of mass movement concentrate. In many places landslide hazard is very high, and anthropogenic factors such as land use change and urban expansion increase the sensibility to slope instability. From seismic- to rainfall-induced mass movements we review the current knowledge of the various slope processes and associated hazards that are present in these equatorial environments. A particular attention is given to urban areas such as Bukavu and Bujumbura where landslide threat is particularly acute. Research perspectives on landslide inventorying, monitoring, and susceptibility and hazard assessment are presented.