Cartography of disaster areas in andean catchment of central Chile. Determination of risk sectors

Abstract

The geomorphic processes of the upper basin of the Maipo river (Central Chile) are studied in the hillslopes located between 870 and 3.000 m.a.s.l., using Landsat images, terrain analysis and interviews to local peoples. The mostfrequent processes are snow avalanches, rockfalls, slides, mudflows, as well as the presence of many talus screes. In all of the hillslopes of the Maipo, El Yeso and El Volcán rivers snow avalanches prevail, preferabily in spring and early summer. Mudflows are only present in the northern hillslopes of the El Yeso river. Rockjalls appear in almost all ofthe basins, above all in El Yeso and upper El Volcán basins.