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Why study landslides? 🚨
Landslides are a major global hazard, often triggered by heavy rainfall. These events threaten both lives and infrastructure, and have claimed thousands of lives worldwide. Regions such as Central and South America are particularly affected due to their high susceptibility to intense rainfall and the presence of large populations living on or near steep slopes.
Image from Google images.
Image from Google images.
Why focus on slow-moving landslides if they move slowly after all? 🤔
Fatalities are usually associated with catastrophic landslides, which can travel downslope at speeds of tens of meters per second. Slow-moving landslides, on the other hand, deform much more gradually—at rates ranging from just a few millimeters to several meters per year. However, they can still cause significant infrastructure damage and have the potential to suddenly transition into catastrophic events, often with little or no warning!
Because slow-moving landslides deform so gradually, they can go undetected for long periods, especially in remote or poorly monitored areas.
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