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Hazards
Geological hazards
15Geological hazards are natural
phenomena that cause major problems
all over the world.
The expansion and development of cities
lead to an increase in impact and damage
due to geological hazards.
In general, most of the geological hazards are
related to natural conditions, although some
may be due to human activities.
Rainfall-Induced Landslide
A 1landslide is a massive outward and downward
movement of slope-forming materials.
The term landslide is restricted to movement of rocks
and soil masses, these masses may range in size up to
entire mountainsides, their movement may vary in
velocity.
A landslide is initiate when a section of a hill slope or
sloping section of a sea bed is rendered too weak to
support its own weight.
This is generally triggered by other natural hazards such as
prolonged, heavy rainfall or by other sources of water which
increases the water content of the slope materials.
Landslide as a geological hazard is caused by
earthquake or volcanic eruption.
Causes of Landslide
Landslides occur when the slope changes from a stable
to an unstable condition. A change in the stability of a
slope can be caused by a number of factors, acting
together or alone.
Natural causes of landslides include:8-14
Groundwater (pore water) pressure acting to destabilize the
slope
Loss or absence of vertical vegetative structure, soil nutrients,
and soil structure (e.g. after a wildfire)
Erosion of the toe of the slope by rivers or ocean waves
Weakening of a slope through saturation by snow melt, glaciers
melting, or heavy rains
Earthquakes adding loads to barely stable slope
Earthquake-caused liquefaction destabilizing slopes
Volcanic eruptions
Causes of Landslide
Landslides are also aggravated by human activities, such
as:18-20
Deforestation, cultivation and construction, which destabilize the
already fragile slopes.
Vibrations from machinery or traffic
Blasting (e.g. as miners normally do)
Earthwork which alters the shape of a slope, or which imposes
new loads on an existing slope
In shallow soils, the removal of deep-rooted vegetation that
binds colluvium to bedrock (e.g. kaingin farming system)
Construction works, agricultural of forestry activities (e.g. logging)
which change the amount of water infiltrating in the soil.
Effects of Landslides
Landslides cause property damage, injury
and death and adversely affect a variety
of resources.
For example, water supplies, fisheries,
sewage disposal system, forest, dams and
roadways can be affected for years after
a slide event.
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