Floods & Landslides

Two new Youtube videos show dramatic roadside failure events
Two interesting roadside failure videos from India and Nepal
19 November 2018
The main collapse event occurs at and the person holding the camera rotates the image as failure begins:-
Two videos have been posted to Youtube showing dramatic and interesting roadside failure events. The first appears to be from Nepal, some reports suggest the location was Lalitpur, and the caption indicates that it was associated with “stone mining”, although the failure itself appears to be on a haul road:-

This appears to be yet another example of poor mining practices inducing instability that was entirely avoidable. There were substantial risks to the workers in a failure of this type, but fortunately in this case the collapse appears to have been anticipated. An excavator was reportedly destroyed however.

The second occurred in India, this time on a mountain road:-

Published on Nov 12, 2018
 
November 25, 2018 - Iraq Floods Leave 21 Dead in Two Days: Health Ministry
Iraq Floods Leave 21 Dead in Two Days: Health Ministry



At least 21 people have died and dozens more have been injured as heavy rains battered Iraq over the past two days, the health ministry spokesman told AFP Sunday.

Women and children were among the dead, Seif al-Badr said. Some had drowned, but others had died in car accidents, were electrocuted, or were trapped when their houses fell on them.

Iraq and neighboring countries have been hit by heavier-than-average rainfall in recent weeks, resulting in deaths and widespread damage.

The country’s north has borne the brunt of it, and the UN’s Iraq office said the downpour had forced tens of thousands of people out of their homes.

An estimated 10,000 people in Salahaddin province and 15,000 people in Nineveh are in desperate need of help, including families living in displacement camps, the UN said.
 
11.27.2018 - Australia storms turn Sydney streets into rivers, causing commuter chaos
Australia storms turn Sydney streets into rivers, causing commuter chaos | Reuters

Torrential rain triggered flash flooding that turned streets into rivers in Sydney, Australia’s biggest city, on Wednesday, causing major disruptions to the morning commute.

A spokesman for Ausgrid, the nation’s biggest electricity network, said the storm had so far left 8,100 homes without power around Sydney and the central coast.

There was chaos on the roads, with at least five stranded motorists needing to be plucked from rising floodwaters, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

“The storm is pretty intense in and around the airport,” a Sydney airport spokesperson said. “We are operating from a single runway so that means that there are delays and likely some flights will be canceled.”

The central Sydney area had received 90 millimeters of rain, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, and state emergency services received dozens of calls for help.

A series of storms was forecast to last through most of the day and ease in the evening, with strong winds continuing.
 
Translated from Indonesian by Microsoft
This landslide in Kampung Jawa ex. Excl. Sanga Sanga Kab Kertanegara district in East Kalimantan on 29/11/2018, 14:00. Not the liquefaction. No loss of life. Impact: access roads Sanga Sanga of Java, Estuary-5 school houses, 10 FAMILIES threatened by landslide. The incidence suddenly in the mine area.

Published on Nov 29, 2018
People evacuated following the Camp Fire were told to leave again as dangerous flooding struck Butte County. Betty Yu reports. (11-29-18)

Published on Nov 29, 2018
A portion of the American River Parkway bike trail in the Rancho Cordova area collapsed Thursday due to erosion caused by rain. Repair crews have closed off the surrounding area while they work to reduce damage from the erosion. Get the full story in the video above.

Published on Nov 30, 2018
There were mudflows on Cuthbert Drive in Malibu, but they got an immediate response from Caltrans. Kara Finnstrom reports.
 
Tue Jan 01, 2019 - 75 Dead in Landslides, Floods in Philippines
Farsnews

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The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its latest report that besides the deceased, 16 people are still missing and 12 were injured, The Straits Times reported.

More than 45,000 families or nearly 192,000 people from 457 villages in the Central and Northern Philippines were affected by the tropical depression that hit the land on December 29.

It weakened into a low-pressure area after hitting land. Nevertheless, it continued to dump days of heavy rain in the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas, triggering landslides and massive flooding.

NDRRMC Spokesman Edgar Posadas stated that 59 of the deaths were from the Bicol region, 13 from Eastern Visayas in the central Philippine and three others from nearby regions.

"The deaths were mostly due to landslides," Posadas added.

The spokesman said that many roads were rendered impassable due to flooding and landslides. The heavy rain also caused power outages and cancellations of 36 flights, adding that the government is now in the process of restoring damaged electric lines and roads.

The most affected provinces like Albay province, Camarines Sur province, Camarines Norte province and Sorsogon province are now placed under a state of calamity.

This would allow the fast release of relief funds, while price controls would be imposed on basic necessities and prime commodities.


Tue Jan 01, 2019 - Indonesia landslides kill at least two, leave dozens missing
Indonesia landslides kill at least two, leave dozens missing | Reuters

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Rescue workers search for victims near a collapsed house following landslides at Cisolok district in Sukabumi, West Java province, Indonesia, January 1, 2019. Antara Foto/M Agung Rajasa/via REUTERS

JAKARTA - Landslides on Indonesia’s heavily populated island of Java killed at least two people and left 41 missing, an official at the country’s disaster agency said on Tuesday.

The landslides, which struck a village in West Java on Monday, also injured 2 people and buried thirty homes, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia’s disaster agency said in a statement.

“Rugged rocky roads and the rainy weather is making it difficult for our team to conduct evacuation operations,” Nugroho said, adding that heavy equipment was needed to help search for survivors.
 
The ten most important landslide events worldwide of 2018
4 January 2019 Pic's of the Devastation within:
2018 will be remembered as a year of destructive landslide events. This is my personal list of the ten most important ones over the course of the year. There are so many to choose from; comments welcome on whether I have the correct ten:-

10. Continued mining-induced landslides in Hpakant, Myanmar

The dreadful problem of major human-induced landslides in the jade mining areas of Hpakant in Myanmar was once again a major issue in 2018. The latest major event occurred in September. There have been fatalities throughout the year, meaning that at least 807 people have been killed in landslides there since 2015. There is no excuse for this level of loss.

9. The dam landslides in Ituango in Colombia

The disastrous landslides that rendered the Hidroituango dam temporarily (at least) redundant, and which induced huge downstream flooding, in Colombia in May were a major issue. Economically this may be one of the most disastrous landslide events of the year. I suspect we will hear more of this project in 2019; it once again illustrates the perils of landslides for hydroelectric schemes. As we build in increasingly challenging areas, including those that are tectonically active, it feels inevitable that we will see another major landslide disaster in the years ahead.

8. The Montecito mudflows in California

The Montecito mudflows in January, triggered by heavy rainfall after the terrible wildfires in California in 2017, cost 23 lives and insured losses of $500 million or so. These landslides are probably prophetic; as the climate continues to warm the occurrence of devastating wildfires will increase, and mudflows inevitably follow. We will see more of these in 2019.

7. The rainfall-induced landslides in Hiroshima, Japan

The dreadful rainfall-induced landslides in the Hiroshima area of Japan in July 2018 induced extensive damage. At least 104 people were killed in landslide events, and there were over 120 fatalities when the impacts of the associated flooding are included. That a country that is so prepared for landslides can suffer this level of loss was a surprise to many. It is a clear demonstration that physical management of landslides has limits, and the increasing intensity of rainfall associated with climate change will mean that these limits are tested repeatedly. This places huge emphasis on the importance of building resilience.

6. The mining-induced landslide at Naga in Cebu, Philippines

The huge mining-induced landslide at Naga City in Cebu in the Philippines was truly astounding. This is another case in which the warning signs were clear ahead of the failure; that they were ignored led to 83 fatalities. Mining-induced landslides are on the rise. That we are losing so many lives to preventable mining continues to be a global disgrace.

5. The Berangay Ucab landslide in the Philippines

Sadly in fifth place is yet another landslide in the Philippines. In this case it was a rainfall-induced failure onto a dormitory at Barangay Ucab, triggered by a typhoon. This slide serves to illustrate the challenges of reducing landslide risk in poor, mountainous areas, especially those disturbed by deforestation and mining. In total, 102 people lost their lives at Barangay Ucab.

5. The Berangay Ucab landslide in the Philippines

Sadly in fifth place is yet another landslide in the Philippines. In this case it was a rainfall-induced failure onto a dormitory at Barangay Ucab, triggered by a typhoon. This slide serves to illustrate the challenges of reducing landslide risk in poor, mountainous areas, especially those disturbed by deforestation and mining. In total, 102 people lost their lives at Barangay Ucab.

4. Landslides triggered by the Hokkaido earthquake in Japan

The 6th September 2018 Hokkaido Iburi-Tobu earthquake triggered huge numbers of landslides over a comparatively small area. Initial technical reports suggest that over 6,000 landslides were triggered ,killing 36 people (the earthquake killed 41 people in total).

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3. Landslides triggered by the Papua New Guinea earthquake

The most under-reported landslide disaster of the 2018 was the 25th February 2018 Papua New Guinea earthquake, which triggered extensive landsliding. The response from the international community was slow and under-powered, and even now it is hard to ascertain the true extent of the losses. In the major river channels the landslides were extraordinary:-


2. The Anak Krakatau landslide and tsunami in Indonesia

The Anak Krakatau flank collapse is fresh in the memory. Over 420 people are known to have died in the tsunami that the collapse triggered. This morning there are reports that new deformation has been detected in the remainder of the volcano. Understanding the sequence of events that led to the generation of this tsunami is going to be an important topic in the months ahead.

1. The Palu earthquake – three flowslides and a landslide-induced tsunami in Indonesia

The largest landslide disaster of 2018 was undoubtedly the Sulawesi earthquake, and its disastrous impacts on the town of Palu and its suburbs. The jury is still out on whether the tsunami was triggered by underwater landslides; I suspect this will be a hot topic in the months ahead. The three major flowslides caused the highest level of loss, with at least 1600 fatalities in Balaroa and 600 at Petobo for example. The old maxim has always been that it is not earthquakes that kill people, it is buildings that cause the loss of life. This event illustrates the folly of taking that too seriously – in 2018 we have seen repeated examples in which landslides have been the major cause of fatalities in earthquakes. I wonder when we will start to learn this lesson?
 
There has been a major rock fall in Siberia according to Bureya River: a large landslide was not caused by a meteorite impact
and Russian military sent to assess giant rockfall blocking Bureya River
By The Siberian Times reporter
12 January 2019
Urgent measures underway to evacuate residents of remote villages after flood threat caused by rising water above new ‘dam’.
One month ago an epic natural event suddenly blocked the blocked the river.

Now the army are to be tasked with ‘moving a mountain’ to allow the river to flow again, vital for supplies into the Bureyskaya hydro power reservoir.

Initial descriptions were of a meteorite strike at the site in Khabarovsk region; later Russian and foreign scientists assessed it as a large and unusual landslide. For some the jury is still out.

The scale is immense: some 34 million cubic metres of rock suddenly fell into the river, we can reveal.

The bulk would fill 13,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Put another way, if all Americans showered at the same time, the water used would fill roughly the same space.
There was a video in the article:
 
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For the attempt to put together a list of the ten most significant (known) landslides of 2018, see:
Apparently close to a thousand people lost their lives in 2018. The ten most important landslide events worldwide of 2018
2018 will be remembered as a year of destructive landslide events. This is my personal list of the ten most important ones over the course of the year. There are so many to choose from; comments welcome on whether I have the correct ten:-
 
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Flash flood warning issued for North Bay
January 16, 2019, 8:07AM
4-5 minute Read Pic's
Snip:
After a day of heavy rainfall, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning Wednesday for parts of the North Bay.

The warning was issued for two pockets of Sonoma County, one for the area surrounding Petaluma and the other near Sebastopol.

Rain gauges near Green Valley Creek and Santa Rosa creek indicated heavy recorded rainfall around 3:45 p.m., according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department. Petaluma police also reported flooding along Petaluma Boulevard North near Gossage Avenue.

Sonoma County officials predicted localized flooding in parts of Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Forestville and Graton.


:whistle:


11 carriages of explosives, a giant An-124 and four Il-76s - Operation Move a Mountain begins
By The Siberian Times reporter 16 January 2019 Pic's Video 4-5 minute Read
Military strikes from air not ruled out to move giant landslide blocking Bureya River causing flood threat to villages.
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‘We climbed these slopes today. If they blow up the formed dam, then as a result of the explosion, the remaining part of the hill may collapse into the water. There is a high probability that this will happen.' Pictures: Today KHV

Explosives are to be detonated on a vast scale within days to remove a vast mound that threatens flooding to villages in Khabarovsk and Amur regions.

Reports say use of the armed forces was authorised by the Supreme Commander of the Russian Federation, President Vladimir Putin.

There were claims aerial strikes could be used.

A video shows some 175 tonnes of military and engineering equipment being flown in to the region seven time zones east of Moscow.

Skipping down:

There are warnings today that the use of explosives to clear a major blockage in the Bureya is ‘likely’ to cause a further massive landslide.

This in turn could create a river 'tsunami' .

Scientists claimed that in December - when the rockfall crashed into the river - a 50 metre high wave swept along the river in the remote territory. If so there were no reports at the time, although changes in water level were noticed.



 
JAKARTA, Indonesia: At least 68 people have been killed and nearly 7,000 forced to take refuge in emergency shelters after floods, landslides and a tornado battered the Indonesian island of Sulawesi in the past week, authorities said on Sunday.

January 27, 2019 - Indonesia death toll from floods, landslides climbs to 68
Indonesia death toll from floods, landslides climbs to 68
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Rescuers search for survivors after a landslide in Gowa, after heavy rains and strong winds pounded the southern part of Sulawesi island. (AFP)

Rescue teams were still looking for seven missing people, while 47 had been injured during the devastation that saw heavy rains cause a dam to overflow, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.

More than 5,000 homes had been submerged with scores of bridges, schools and places of worship damaged, as well as thousands of acres of rice paddies destroyed, he said in a statement. Some displaced people had started to return to their homes as flood waters receded, but heavy equipment was needed to clear a thick layer of mud that had enveloped roads and houses, he said.

Others had chosen to remain in camps after being traumatized, Nugroho said, adding that there was still an urgent need for food, blankets and medical services.

The devastation that has struck Southern Sulawesi in the past week had also extended to Makassar, the capital of the province.


LIMA, Peru: An avalanche of mud and rocks crashed into a hotel during a wedding celebration in southeastern Peru, killing at least 15 people, authorities said Sunday.

January 27, 2019 - At least 15 dead in mudslide at hotel in Peru: Authorities
At least 15 dead in mudslide at hotel in Peru: Authorities
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In this photo provide by Abancay police, officers and firefighters stand by a collapsed area of the Alhambra hotel in the city in Peru. (AP)

“The avalanche broke through the walls of the hotel, entering it with force,” the mayor of the city of Abancay, where the hotel is located, told RPP radio.

The mayor, Evaristo Ramos, said about 100 guests had been invited to the wedding party Saturday and “there are 15 dead and 34 injured.”

Firefighters, police and residents worked through the night to rescue people still trapped under rubble.

Authorities said the Alhambra hotel was built very close to a hillside. A retaining wall collapsed, and the mudslide brought the hotel roof down on the party-goers below, they said.

People searching for missing relatives were urged to visit surrounding health centers to find and identify their loved ones.
 
There has been a major rock fall in Siberia according to Bureya River: a large landslide was not caused by a meteorite impact

Russian military engineers carry out controlled explosions to ‘move a mountain’ blocking the Bureya River in Siberia’s Khabarovsk Region on Friday, after a landslide damned the waterway.

2019-02-08 - Russian military engineers blow up ‘mountain’ blocking Siberian river (video)

https://www.almasdarnews.com/articl...ow-up-mountain-blocking-siberian-river-video/

The 165m (550ft) mound was caused by a landslide at the beginning of December.

Geologists fear that use of explosives will cause a second giant rockfall into the Bureya.

Moving the block has become urgent because four villages and the Baikal Amur Mainline rail link are threatened with flooding. While further downstream, a key hydroelectric reservoir is deprived of water.

Military engineers and sappers have been tackling the jam by carrying out a series of explosions.

The Russian Ministry of Defence has sent 500 personnel, 43 units of specialist equipment and six army helicopters to work on mission.

The final phase of the works is due to be completed on February 18.
 
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