Automatic detection of landslide features with remote sensing techniques: Application to Madeira Island

The extreme rainfall event of February 20
^th
, 2010 triggered a series of landslides and alluvium episodes with extensive life and material damages. The use of automatic detection of the landslides over satellite imagery allowed the identification and characterization of the affected areas, the mapping of the landslide features and the calculation of the displaced sediment volume. The study shows that the occurred landslides were shallow, being the basins of Ribeira Brava the most affected areas, with almost two thirds of the total identified landslide polygons.