Landslides: A Powerful
Natural Phenomenon
Landslides are a captivating natural occurrence where soil, rock, and
debris suddenly move downhill due to gravity and other factors. These
dramatic events can dramatically reshape landscapes and pose serious
risks to communities.
SA by Steven Andrei Botenes
Types of Landslides
1
Soil Creep
A slow, gradual downhill movement of soil particles.
2
Slumping
A downward movement of rock and debris often caused by loss of support
at the slope's base.
3
Debris Flow
A fast-moving, water-saturated slide of soil, rock, and vegetation.
Causes of Landslides
Natural Causes
Human-Induced Causes
Factors like steep slopes, heavy rainfall,
Activities like deforestation, mining, and
earthquakes, and volcanic activity can weaken
construction can destabilize slopes and make
soil and trigger landslides.
them more prone to sliding.
Environmental Impacts of
Landslides
1
Vegetation &
Habitat Damage
2
Landscape
Alteration
3
Waterway
Disruption
Landslides can destroy
Landslides can
Debris and soil from
plant life and disrupt
dramatically change the
landslides can clog rivers
wildlife ecosystems.
terrain, leaving behind
and streams, altering
rugged, unsightly
their natural flow.
landscapes.
Economic & Social Consequences
Infrastructure
Damage
Disruption of
Communication
Loss of Life
Landslides can destroy
Landslides can disrupt
areas face the devastating
buildings, roads, bridges,
transportation and
threat of injury and death
and other critical
communication networks,
from landslides.
infrastructure.
hampering recovery efforts.
Communities in high-risk
The Role of Topography
Slope Angle
Slope Height
Rock Type
Steeper slopes are more
Taller slopes have more
The stability of the underlying
prone to sliding, as gravity
material that can potentially
rock and soil composition
exerts a stronger downward
slide, increasing the hazard.
plays a key role in landslide
force.
risk.
Geological Factors
1
Weak Materials
2
Discontinuities
3
Weathering
Certain rock types and
Faults, cracks, and planes
The breakdown of rock
soil compositions are
of weakness in the
through physical,
more susceptible to
underlying geology can
chemical, and biological
sliding.
facilitate sliding.
processes can
destabilize slopes.
Rainfall and Landslide Hazards
1
2
3
Soil Saturation
Erosion
Trigger Event
Heavy, prolonged rainfall can
Flowing water erodes the
A sudden deluge can be the
saturate and weaken soil,
base of slopes, making them
final catalyst that causes a
reducing its stability.
more prone to sliding.
landslide to occur.
Minimizing Landslide Risks
Reforestation
Slope Stabilization
Early Warning
Planting vegetation helps
Engineered solutions like
Monitoring and alert systems
stabilize slopes and reduce
retaining walls can improve
can help communities prepare
erosion.
slope stability.
for landslide events.