Landslides

By: Madeline Sette,

Rachelle Kruzelak,
Keaton Beckes,
and Noah Orner

Definition

Landslides are rock, earth, and/or debris

flowing or sliding down slopes due to
gravity.

Causes
Heavy rains
Earthquakes
Volcano eruptions
Floods
Grading
Terrain Cutting
Droughts

Air

Confined by falling rock debris, air may

act as a cushion to reduce the friction
between the sliding material and the
underlying rock or ground.

Gravity
Gravity provides the energy to displace
the soil and bedrock, but other factors
contribute to an increase in stress and
decrease in strength. A stress tends to
make part of a block material slide block
material slide with respect to an adjoining
part.

Vibrations

Vibrations from blasting, heavy traffic

and earthquakes also can contribute to
shear stress and precipitate slides.

Speed

Landslides travel at least over than 260

feet per second

Types
Rockfalls- large chunks of rock that tumble down a
cliff or steep slopes
Lahars- ash from a volcano mixes with water, to form
a thick river of mud
Earthflows- contain less water and flow more slowly;
move shorter distances
Slope Failure- involve one block or a series of slump
blocks
Slump- larges masses move downward and outward
due to a gravity pull
Debris Slides- consist of moving masses of mud, soil,
and rocks mixed with water

Hotspots
Anywhere with steep slopes and
weathering
High mountain ranges, sheer cliffs, and
steep sided river valleys
Where volcanoes erupt and along
coasts

Damage
Causes a billion dollars of damage each
year in the U.S.
Average of twenty-five casualties a
year in the U.S.

Effects
Bury entire villages that are at the
bottom of the mountain range
Close roads
Rapidly moving water and debris can
cause trauma
Broken gas, electric, water, and sewage
lines can break

Effects
Landslides also sweep up trees, cars,
and buildings

http://landslides.usgs.gov/
research/other/
centralamerica.php

Traffic Stops
Landslides can cause a headache for many
travelers on the road
Landslides occur on hills near roads quite
often causing bad traffic

Pictures

http://landslides.usgs.gov/
research/other/
centralamerica.php

http://web.ndmc.gov.za
/images/landslide1.jpg

Nevado Del Hulia

It was on June 6, 1994 at 3:47 p.m.
Killed up to 2,000 people and only 271
bodies were found
1,700 were defined missing presumed
dead, and buried under the mud
20,000 people made homeless

Orosi, Costa Rica

On August 31, 2005
7 people were killed
More than 400 people made homeless
23 homes completely destroyed

Panabaj, Guatamala
On October 5, 2005, around four o'clock
a.m.
1,000 people were declared missing
and presumed dead
Fewer than 80 bodies recovered

Sarno, Italy
On May, 1998.
Killed 118 people, and more than 1,500
people made homeless

Peruvian Andes
In 1977, a debris avalanche moved
some 20 to 45 million cubic yards of earth
materials at speeds of almost 100 miles
per hour. This slide buried an entire city,
killing most of its 19,000 inhabitants.

Safe Spots From Landslides

Stay on hard bedrock that has not been
moved lately or in the past
Stay on relatively flat-lying areas far from
slopes or river banks
Stay at the top of ridges, away from the
top of slopes

If in Danger
Call your fire or police departments
Warn neighbors in danger

Evacuate the premises

immediately

Eyewitnesses to Landslides
"It sounded like the mountain exploded, and the whole thing
crumbled." -Dario Libatan
June 7, 1994, Jorge Garcia observed the landslide area and said,
"only the roof of the school can be seen. Jorge Garcia

"It sounded like an earthquake. But it was not the earth moving. It
was the air." - Febo Carillo
"When the... landslide hit the landslide hit the hillsides of Orosi, the
town was able to stick together and recover from the natural
disaster." Amy Chan

Questions
1.What is a landslide?
2.Name 3 causes to landslides?
3.How fast can a landslide travel?
4.What should you do if you are in danger of a
landslide?
5.What are the effects of landslides?
6. What are landslide hotspots?
7. What is the average number of casualties
landslides cause each year in the U.S.?

Answers
1.Landslides are rock, earth, and/or
debris flowing or sliding down slopes due
to gravity.

2.Heavy rains, Earthquakes, Volcano

eruptions, Floods, Grading, Terrain
Cutting, Droughts
3.260 feet per second

Answers
4. Call your fire or police departments,
Warn neighbors in danger, Evacuate the
premises immediately

5. Bury entire villages that are at the

bottom of the mountain range, Close
roads, Rapidly moving water and debris
can cause trauma, Broken gas, electric,
water, and sewage lines can break

Answers
6. Anywhere with steep slopes and
weathering, High mountain ranges, sheer
cliffs, and steep sided river valleys, Where
volcanoes erupt and along coasts
7. Average of25 average a year in the
U.S.

Sources
Landslides. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2010.
http://www.ussartf.org/landslides.htm
Matthews, William H. Landslides. Encyclopedia Americana.
Deluxe Library ed. 1990. Print.
Spilsbury, Louise & Richard. Landslides and Avalanches in Action.
New York, NY: Rosen Central, 2009. Print.
Landslide (Mudslide) Saftey. Washington D.C.: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2003. Print.

http://landslides.usgs.gov/research/other/centralamerica.php
http://web.ndmc.gov.za/images/landslide1.jpg

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