A few facts on landslides
According to many scientists, landslides are increasingly common. This
is mainly due to population growth,
which leads to greater exploitation of land resources, especially in developing
countries, and increases in
precipitation. World reknown monuments such as Machu Picchu in Peru or the Valley
of the Kings in Egypt are today considered
to be at risk of landslides.
Landslides can happen slowly or very quickly and be caused by
many different factors such as storms,
floods, earthquakes, steepening of slopes by erosion and human activities.
Preventive measures
If you are visiting an area prone to landslides, the following signs
might help you to anticipate a potential
landslide: recent storms and heavy rains, or water coming out of the ground in
unusual places;
changes in the landscape and in normal drainage patterns, smaller scale slides or
land movements. If you are driving,
debris such as fallen rocks, mud and collapsed roadways might indicate that a
landslide is imminent. If the landslide
is approaching you, you might hear an unusual noise which becomes increasingly
louder.
If any of the above takes place and you suspect that a
landslide is occurring, leave the premises
is possible. Be aware; landslides can develop very quickly, therefore stay inside
if you think the
way out is not 100% safe.
