MUDSLIDES

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MUDSLIDES

• By,
• Katie Buchmann
• Jamie Mello

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MAIN POINTS

• What is a Mudslide?
• Predicting Mudslides
• Damages to towns
• Safety issues
• Future decisions
• Locations of mudslides

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• Mudslides are a serious geological Hazard common
  to almost every state
• The consistency of the flow can range from watery
  mud to thick, rocky mud that can carry large
  items such as boulders, trees, and cars
• They can accelerate to speeds about 10 miles per
  hour, but can exceed 35 miles per hour

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• Flows from many different sources can combine in
  channels and the destruction is greatly increased
• As they flow down hill they grow in volume
  collecting additional sand,water,mud,boulders,tree
  s,cars, and almost anything in their path
• When they reach flatter ground the debris spreads
  over a broad area cause major damage to developed
  areas

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• Mudslides are easily predicted
• Generally occur during periods of intense
  rainfall or rapid snowmelt
• Often worsen the effects of flooding, areas
  burned by forest and brush fires, or a lower
  threshold of precipitation may initiate mudslides
• Mudslides are often triggered by earthquakes
  which makes them warning signs

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Locations

• Areas that are prone to Mudslides include
  existing old mudslides, the bases of steep
  slopes, the bases of drainage channels, and
  developed hillsides where leach-Field septic
  systems are used
• Area considered safe are relatively flat-lying
  areas away from sudden changes in slope, areas at
  the top of long ridges set back from the top of
  slopes, or places that have not moved in the past

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• Mudslides are common through out the Appalachian
  region and New England in the east
• The Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi Valleys in
  the Midwest
• All Mountainous areas of the West
• They are also common in Alaska, Hawaii, and
  Puerto Rico

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Safety

• Before a storm
• become familiar with the land around you
• Learn whether landslides and debris flows have
  happened there before by contacting local
  officials
• Watch the patterns of storm water drainage on
  slopes near your home
• Watch for any signs on land movement such as
  small mudslides or tilting trees

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To protect your property you should make contract
with a private consulting company specializing in
earth movement for opinions and advice on
landslides problems and on corrective measures
you can take Also use caution when building your
home on any slopes and places that is prone to
heavy rainfall
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Damages

• Nationally mudslides cause up to 2 billion in
  damages a year
• 25 to 50 deaths a year
• Not much compared to other natural disasters
• Destroys Homes, cars, and roads