The Challenge
Bhutan’s landscape makes infrastructure particularly vulnerable to natural hazards.
Steep terrain, heavy rainfall, and complex river systems contribute to frequent floods, landslides, rockfalls, and debris flows. These hazards can damage infrastructure, disrupt transport, and isolate communities.
For government agencies, the key challenge was understanding how these hazards impact specific infrastructure assets.
Authorities needed to answer questions such as:
• Which infrastructure assets are most exposed to different hazard types?
• Where are the highest concentrations of vulnerability?
• How does risk vary across different regions and asset types?
While hazard data existed, it was difficult to connect this information to infrastructure in a way that clearly showed where the greatest risks are located.
The Solution
Geoneon partnered with ADPC and Bhutanese government agencies, alongside Terranum, to assess infrastructure vulnerability across two key regions: the Phuentsholing–Pasakha and Gelephu watersheds.
The analysis combined:
• very high-resolution and multi-band satellite data
• hazard susceptibility modelling for floods, rockfalls, debris flows, and large torrents
• infrastructure datasets covering buildings, roads, and power lines
Using these inputs, Geoneon developed an infrastructure vulnerability model based on:
• hazard susceptibility
• infrastructure location
• replacement value of assets
The model was applied at a 30 metre grid resolution, enabling detailed spatial analysis of how hazards intersect with infrastructure.
This approach made it possible to move beyond general hazard maps and instead identify specific areas where infrastructure is most at risk.
The Results
The project delivered a detailed, spatially explicit view of infrastructure vulnerability across the two study regions.
Key outcomes included:
• identification of infrastructure exposure hotspots across buildings, roads, and power lines
• a consistent method for assessing vulnerability across multiple hazard types
• improved visibility of where infrastructure risk is most concentrated
• recommended mitigation measures to help local stakeholders reduce potential damage and strengthen infrastructure resilience
These insights enable authorities to:
• identify high-risk areas requiring attention
• support infrastructure planning and risk reduction efforts
• better understand how different hazards impact critical assets
By linking hazard data directly to infrastructure and incorporating asset value, the analysis provides a clearer picture of where infrastructure is most vulnerable to climate-related hazards.
