Why do earthquakes sometimes trigger landslides far from the epicentre?
Quick Answer
Strong shaking can loosen unstable slopes, especially where rocks are already fractured or waterlogged. The earthquake acts like a sudden push that overcomes friction holding the slope in place.
The Full Story
Earthquake shaking can destabilize hillsides by reducing the friction and cohesion that normally keep soil and rock in place. Slopes made of loose material, steep terrain, or saturated ground are especially vulnerable. Even if the epicentre is distant, long-period shaking can travel through valleys and mountains and trigger failures in weak areas. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China, for example, caused tens of thousands of landslides across mountainous terrain. Earthquakes do not have to be directly underneath a slope to set it moving.
Key Facts
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"How a distant earthquake can make a mountain collapse"
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