Geomorphic Hazards 1 | Page 3

What are landslides?

A landslide is rocks and other earth material from a hill or slope. Due to the force of gravity the rocks move downward.

What are some landslide warning signs?

When the ground becomes wet where it has not typically been wet before. Even cracks or unusual bulges in the ground may be signs of landslides. Sometimes even soil moving away from foundations,

ancillary structures such as decks and patios tilting and/or moving relative to the main house,

tilting or cracking of concrete floors and foundations, broken water lines and other underground utilities, leaning telephone poles, trees, retaining walls or fences and offset fence lines.

How do humans respond to landslides?

Landslides sometimes happen more than once so stay away from the landslide area. And listen to the local radio for more.

How do humans induce landslides?

Humans do in fact impact landslides, like making roads and structures without satisfactory grading of slopes, maybe even poorly planned drainage systems and disturbing old landslides. Other ways are things like deforestation, mining and road-building.

Landslides

Learn about Landslides and how they are made, why we have them anf how we respond to them.

By Eliza Gwilliam