82 Mass Movement: Landslides
Mass movement can be devastating and costly. Landslides and avalanches may not be something we really think about unless we live in an area prone to them, but mass wasting can occur just about anywhere.
Earthflow in Italy in 2010:
Mass wasting can be very fast or slow. What do you make of the photo below?
Do you notice anything strange about the trees? Would you want to live in an area like this?
Most recent in US: WA, Oso, March 22, 2014
Before landslide
After landslide
Bingham Canyon (copper mining operation), April 10, 2013
On the evening of 10 April 2013 (MDT) a massive landslide occurred at the Bingham Canyon copper mine near Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The northeastern wall of the 970-m-deep pit collapsed in two distinct episodes that were each sudden, lasting ~90 seconds, but separated in time by ~1.5 hours. In total, ~65 million cubic meters of material was deposited, making the cumulative event likely the largest non-volcanic landslide to have occurred in North America in modern times. Fortunately, there were no fatalities or injuries. Because of extensive geotechnical surveillance, mine operators were aware of the instability and had previously evacuated the area.
Resettlement Option discussion (2018) ; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6100022/
