RAINFALL-TRIGGERED LANDSLIDES CASE STUDY: GRADACAC MUNICIPALITY, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA.

Natural hazards, such as landslides and floods, caused by climate change have been recently more frequent in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the countries in the region. During the past two decades, at different time intervals, seasonal anomalies in temperatures and heavy rainfall have been recorded that go beyond the average value recorded in the past 120 years. In each subsequent period of increased rainfall the number of landslides increased as well, triggering the occurrence of new landslides and the reactivation of the old ones. Gradacac Municipality is a municipality in the north of Tuzla Canton (BiH) with a serious landslide hazard. Most urban and rural settlements in the municipality are situated on gentle to steep slopes susceptible to the occurrence of landslides. By 2014 over 400 landslides which accounted for more than 10% of the municipality territory were recorded in Gradacac Municipality, and in 2014 alone 368 landslides were registered that caused more severe economic losses to private and public property, psychological trauma in the population and the enormous damages that exceed the capabilities of the municipality and the wider community. In order to mitigate the landslide hazard in local communities, it is important to develop a strategy for planning and management both at local and national level, which requires significant financial resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]