Landslides

A landslide or landslip is the mass movement of rock, debris, earth or mud down a slope. While most landslides are caused by gravity, they can also be caused by rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, groundwater pressure, erosion, destabilization of slopes as a result of deforestation, cultivation and construction, and snow or glacial melt. Debris flows, or mudflows, are fast-moving landslides that are especially dangerous due to their speed and volume. Some debris flows have been recorded as reaching speeds of over 160 kilometres per hour.

Houses in Sindhupalchowk district, Nepal destroyed by a massive landslide in 2014

Do you know how to prepare for a landslide?

Do's and don'ts

  • Know and participate in local early warning systems
  • Look for warning signs in your natural and built environment
  • Stay informed about the weather, especially heavy rainfall
  • Don't build on unstable or landslide prone areas
  • Protect your property with things like retaining walls
  • If driving in a landslide, avoid flooding streams and river valleys
  • Evacuate if possible, do not stay in the path of a landslide
  • Check for injured and trapped people without entering the slide area

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