Lebanon is located in a relatively high seismic zone and has a rugged topography, making it vulnerable to hazards from earthquakes and landslides. Records about seismic events in the country go back to 303 AD and contain descriptions about such damages as houses and monuments destroyed and widespread fires, but they offer few, if any, details about collateral damages from landslide hazards associated with earthquakes.

Although Lebanon has not experienced any major earthquake since 1956, the recent discovery of an active thrusting fault close to its coastline has significantly raised its risk of being hit by a high magnitude earthquake.

Past studies on seismic hazards in Lebanon have focused on seismic zoning and its impact on structural engineering design. Although many researchers have assessed slope stability hazards in Lebanon based on various static conditions, no effort has been undertaken as yet to assess the impact of a seismic event on triggering landslide hazards in the country.

This project aimed to produce a hazard map of Lebanon that clearly shows the critical areas prone to earthquake-induced landslides. Ultimately the project should help Lebanese cities to identify areas with high natural hazard potential so they can plan urban growth appropriately, thus preventing damage to critical infrastructure and saving lives in the event natural disasters strike.