Utah Poised to Adopt Geologic Hazard Ordinances
Geologic Hazards
Slow Moving Landslide in North Salt Lake City Area
Residents of a neighborhood on the north side of Salt Lake City, Utah received some bad news recently from a state geologist. The slow moving landslide that has been moving on the order of several inches per year has begun moving at a faster rate. They predict movement on the order of feet per year. Several houses have already been condemned and torn down with more likely. Click through for some news footage showing the problem area and some of the damage to house foundations, sidewalks, pipes and other reactions from unfortunate residents. (Photo by KSL, NBC Salt Lake City affiliate)
Geologic Hazards
Landslides in China – Sichuan and Guangxi
In Sichuan Province, China, they were still in the recovery process from the devastating 2008 earthquake when a series of landslides, rockfall, mudslides and flooding has hit the region. Dave’s Landslide Blog has excellent coverage as usual on the slide pictured here, which blocked a major road, hindering rescue efforts. (Photo Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)
A remarkable video of the aftermath of a bridge destroyed by one of these rockfall / landslide events is shown below. The destruction is pretty profound. (Via Geology.com)
Also on Dave’s blog, a landslide in Guangxi caused a train to derail, killing 4 people and injuring 50. My heart truly goes out to the people of those portions of China, particularly in Sichuan as they have been through so much.
Geologic Hazards
Utah Considers Stricter Rules for Development in Landslide Prone Areas
The Utah Governer’s Geologic Hazards Working Group, which includes no one from the private sector, is considering some model legislation that can be adopted by cities and counties to make it more difficult for developers to build in landslide prone areas. Also, among other things, the group may recommend that Utah adopt stricter grading requirements based on the experiences of California. Read on for more info.