Copyright Information: All images are in the public domain and available for free. If you use this image, credit NOAA/NGDC, R.W. Jibson, U.S. Geological Survey. |
In October 1985, a landslide destroyed 120 houses and killed at least 129 people - the greatest number of casualties from any single landslide in North America. The catastrophic block slide was triggered by a tropical storm which produced extremely heavy rainfall. Contributing factors could also have included sewage directly discharged into the ground in the densely populated area, and a leaking water pipe at the top of the landslide. Note the crescent-shaped scarp at the head of the slump. Image Credit: R.W. Jibson. U.S. Geological Survey The slopes above streams and rivers are subjected to a variety of processes that cause them to recede and retreat from the river or stream channel. These processes, collectively called mass wasting, can be classified according to rapidity of movement and according to the type of materials that are transported. |
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