Lessons from China (2) - Active Landslide Video

Below is a video of an active landslide in the Gansu Province of China, observed on the 13th September 2012. This slope face had reportedly been falling apart since the previous afternoon, and had resulted in the evacuation of a number of houses. At the base of the slope is a small river, and there was concern that the material could block the river and result in flooding.

You can see a number of features within the video, including large boulders bouncing and a constant (dry) flow of material.

Lessons from China (1) - Introduction

As highlighted on the GfGD blog last week, I have recently returned from the First International Symposium on New Techniques for Geohazards Research and Management in the Gansu Province of China. This conference encompassed two days of presentation relating to landslides, debris flows and management strategies followed by four days in the field, travelling 1200km by road to visit sites of major landslide activity.

The beauty and magnitude of the landscapes there was enormous, ranging from magnificent loess terraces, to sharp limestone mountains and vast sediment-laden rivers. It was, however, the raw vulnerability of communities that impacted me most - The desperate need for improved science and engineering, but an even greater need for better communication, decision making, education and understanding of how to build resilience. 

Posts about various aspects of this trip, case studies and challenges, will come in the near future. In the meantime, here are a few photos taken from the trip. Look out on Wednesday for a video of the active landslide in the final picture below.

Landslide in loess terrain (Heifangtai, Gansu Province, China)
(c) Geology for Global Development, 2012

Construction of a large debris flow channel to reduce the risk to the community at the bottom of the valley. A deadly flow killed over 1500 people in 2010.
(Zhouqu, Gansu Province, China)
(c) Geology for Global Development, 2012

An active complex landslide - with failure occurring in both the loess material and bedrock
(Gansu Province, China)
(c) Geology for Global Development, 2012

China: New Techniques for Geohazards Research and Management

Last week I was in China at the First International Symposium on New Techniques for Geohazards Research and Management in Gansu Province, China. This conference combined a series of talks about geohazards (particularly focusing on slope instabilities and debris flows) and hazard management strategies with a series of field visits around the Gansu Province in China. One of these visits includes to Zhouqu, where a significant landslide in 2010 killed more than a thousand people. 

Whilst mainly presenting information about my PhD research, I also took the opportunity to share some of the principles and work of GfGD. Any management of geohazards must take a holistic approach, understanding the importance of both engineered solutions, and also reducing community vulnerability. GfGD is working to champion a greater understanding and practice of the latter within the geoscience community. Next week we will post a report of the conference, together with a number of photos and case studies.