Geologic Hazards
Maierato Italy Landslide Video
This amazing video has been making its way around the geoblogosphere as well as the mainstream media. Pretty remarkable. It ranks up there with the Japanese Landslide Video.
landslide
Geologic Hazards
Massive Mudslides and Debris Flows in California
Another El Nino storm just moved through Southern California culminating in significant rainfall on Saturday producing mudslides and debris flows in the area hit by this past September’s Station Fire. More after the break. (Photo from Sacramento Bee, David McNew – Getty Images)
Failures
Retaining wall failure and landslide in San Antonio Displaces 25 Homeowners
A 20 to 30-ft high retaining wall in a subdivision in San Antonio Texas failed on Sunday causing an evacuation of 80 homes. After an initial inspection, some 55 home-owners were allowed to return. The massive tension cracks that opened along the wall and behind it were 12-15-ft deep and 6-8-ft wide. Reportedly, the wall had problems even before the subdivision was even constructed. More after the break. (Photo by Jerry Lara – San Antonio Express-News)
Geologic Hazards
Highway 64 Rock Slide Aerial Photos
Some new aerial photos of the landslide or rock slide that blocked Highway 64 in Tennessee were posted last week by WTVC Channel 9. This was the landslide caught on video that I posted about […]
Geologic Hazards
Video: Rockslide on U.S. Highway 64 in Tennessee
Amazing video of a rockslide as it happened yesterday along U.S. Highway 64 in the Ocoee River gorge in Tennessee. TDOT crews had almost finished removing rockslide debris from an event earlier in the day when a second slide occurred, blocking the road again. That looks like a pretty planar joint set dipping right into the roadway and everything was wet from the recent rains. Click through for the video.
Geologic Hazards
Rockslide Closes I-40 in Western North Carolina
A massive rockslide closed a busy interstate route last week near the border between Tennessee and North Carolina in Pigeon River Gorge. This area has had landslide problems in the past. In 1997 a rockslide in the same area closed the freeway for approximately 3 months. (Photo from Landslides Under a Microscope Blog, original source not cited)
I have yet to see volume estimates, but The Charlotte Observer quoted a highway patrol officer who was at the scene:
He said the roadway is covered by a gigantic mound of debris, from pebbles up to house-sized boulders. The pile is 40 to 50 feet high, Williamson estimated, and hundreds of feet long.
More info and video after the break. […]
Geologic Hazards
Nile Landslide Destroys Large Stretch of Washington SR 410
A massive landslide has destroyed at least a quarter-mile of State Route 410 in Washington State, about 10 miles from Naches in Yakima County. It has also damaged about 12 structures including residential homes and quarry buildings and diverted the Naches River. The media has been referring to it as the Naches Slide, but the personnel from the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Earth Resources who have began investigating the slide as well as WSDOT are calling it the Nile Landslide. (Photo by WAStateDNR-DoGaER)
Click through for photos and videos. For more info on the slide, check out the Sliding Thought Blog, an unofficial blog by Isabelle Sarikhan of the WAStateDNR – Division of Geology and Earth Resources “aka” the Washington Geologic Survey. She’s been actively investigating the slide along with some colleagues.
Geologic Hazards
City of Chilliwack, British Columbia to Pay $18M for Up to 42 Homes On Landslide
The Chilliwack Times reports that the City of Chilliwack will pay 80% of the assessed home value for up to 42 homes in an Eastern Hillside subdivision that are located on a slow moving landslide. The issue was first noticed in 2001 and several homes have had significant damage, but most are currently undamaged. The City denies any responsibility, but it’s legal counsel recommended a settlement. (Photo by Paul J. Henderson, Chilliwack Times)
Normally the geotechnical engineer for the subdivision would be held accountable. But apparently the slip surface is located 30-m below grade, much deeper than borings for a typical investigation for a subdivision. I wonder if there were any geologists consulted? Click through for a Google map view of the area and you can do your own armchair photogeology quarterbacking! Your heart does go out to the people losing their homes, they had no idea. But it could be worse, they could be in La Jolla and be getting squat.
Failures
Judge Rules City of San Diego Not Responsible for Mt. Soledad Landslide in 2007
The Mt. Soledad Landslide in a La Jolla California neighborhood destroyed 3 houses and damaged others and it also shut down Mt. Soledad Road for an entire year after it occurred in October of 2007. Residents blamed the city of San Diego, and 65 homeowners filed suit, claiming that leaking pipes caused the landslide and the City should cover damages.
Last week, a superior court judge ruled in favor of the City of San Diego. So far I have not seen anything indicating if the residents plan to appeal the ruling.
One interesting note regarding the trial, the City released an 8-minute cell phone video taken by a geotechnical engineer or drilling contractor employed by the City that showed the road cracking and buckling just prior to failure. The homeowners used the video to try to make their own case. Click through for a portion of the video and a link to the full one.
Geologic Hazards
Rockfall in Yosemite causes hotel evacuation of all 300 guests
A landslide in Yosemite National Park on Wednesday damaged three cars in the parking lot of the Ahwahnee Hotel and left rocks, one the size of two SUV’s in the parking lot. Park officials evacuated […]