This article presents a study of a slow-moving landslide in the Kaskelen River valley (Ile Alatau, Kazakhstan), which poses a threat to local infrastructure and a dacha settlement. The investigation was conducted using data obtained from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). High-precision digital elevation models were used to analyze the morphometric characteristics of the landslide, identify deformation zones, and calculate slope stability parameters. The landslide occurs in loess-like loams that lose strength when saturated with water, with a maximum recorded displacement rate of up to 59 cm per year. Stability coefficient calculations indicated critical conditions in areas with slopes greater than 15°. Monitoring using global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) is recommended, along with engineering measures such as drainage systems and geogrid reinforcement. The findings highlight the importance of integrating UAV technologies with traditional field methods for effective landslide risk assessment in mountainous regions.

This paper presents an integrated approach to the mapping and structural-tectonic interpretation of lineaments in the Mangystau region using multispectral Landsat-8 OLI data and the medium-resolution Airbus WorldDEM4Ortho digital elevation model. Automatic extraction of linear structures has enabled the identification of over 35,000 lineaments of varying length and orientation, forming a network of intersecting zones that influence the distribution of sedimentary thicknesses, drainage directions, and the location of karst-suffosion depressions. The most prominent are the north-western and sub-latitudinal systems, closely correlated with zones of fracturing and faults, which confirms their tectonic origin. The spatial concentration of lineaments coincides with areas of increased permeability in carbonate and gypsum-bearing rocks and localizes the pathways of groundwater circulation, contributing to the development of karst-suffosion processes. The obtained results demonstrate the significance of structural influences on the region’s current geomorphological and hydrogeological conditions and also have practical importance for engineering-geological surveys, the assessment of geological risks, and the planning of sustainable land use.

Debris flows in mountainous regions pose significant threats to human lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems. This study examines the morphology and morphometry of debris flow sites in the Ile Alatau Range of the Northern Tien Shan (Kazakhstan) using satellite imagery. Debris flow sites were mapped through manual interpretation of Google Earth images in the most debris flow-prone basin of the Ulken Almaty River. Morphometric characteristics of 86 debris flow sites were analysed using ArcGIS software. The sites range in area from 0.2 to 4.7 km² and in length from 640 to 7,500 m, both showing strongly positively skewed distributions. Mean slopes range from 6° to 33° with negative skewness, while elevations range from 1,300 to 3,860 m a.s.l., with approximately 70% of sites located between 2,000 and 3,500 m a.s.l. The study demonstrates the high effectiveness of remote sensing methods for debris flow mapping and inventorying, providing essential data for hazard assessment and the development of protective measures applicable to other mountainous regions of Central Asia.