Week 8: Mass Wasting

 Mass wasting occurs when rocks, soil, or debris move downward. Landslides, mudslides, rock slides, and avalanches are some examples of mass wasting events. Mass wasting events don't necessarily need to have a trigger; just gravity can be the cause of one. Sometimes, heavy rainfall, flooding, or earthquakes can cause a mass wasting event. 

Chile has experienced some mass wasting events before. Chile has over 1,250 rivers and rugged terrain, leaving it vulnerable to natural disasters such as mass wasting events.The map below shows that many places in Chile are at a high risk of a mass wasting event. 

One example of a mass wasting event in Chile occurred in 2017. Chile suffered from a devastating mudslide in Villa Santa Lucia. Half the town was destroyed, and many people were killed. This mudslide was caused by heavy rainfall and a flooded river. 

Mass wasting events can be devastating, as they can damage infastructure and even be life threatening. Although mass wasting events are not as common as other natural disasters in Chile, it is still important for citizens to be prepared for one, especially since most cities are located along rivers and hills. To help people stay safe from a mass wasting event, Chile focuses on urban planning. If a mass wasting event happened in one area, it's likely that one could happen there again, so infrastructure should not be constructed there. Chile also goes through preparedness exercises so citizens know what to do in case of an emergency. Chile does not currently have an early warning system for mass wasting events, but one should be put into place so citizens know if they are at risk and where to evacuate to. 

Sources:

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/erosion/mass-wasting.htm

https://cmes.utah.edu/news/mine-landslide.php

https://thinkhazard.org/en/report/51-chile/LS

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/17/chile-deadly-mudslide-destroys-village

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chile-landslide-leaves-several-dead-residents-missing/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0928202508100189

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/6/14/photos-state-of-catastrophe-as-downpours-hit-chile

https://reliefweb.int/report/chile/chile-disaster-management-reference-handbook-may-2017

Comments

  1. Naufal rahmanOctober 11, 2024 at 6:27 PM

    I really enjoyed reading your blog about mass wasting in Chile! The part about the 2017 mudslide in Villa Santa Lucia was especially interesting, it’s so sad that it caused so much damage, but I’m glad you highlighted how important it is for Chile to be prepared. The idea of focusing on urban planning to keep people safe makes a lot of sense, and an early warning system sounds like it would be a huge help too

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kyrsten BarruetoOctober 11, 2024 at 11:19 PM

    Hi Sofia! Your work shows the need for better preparedness, especially considering the country’s vulnerability due to its rivers and rugged terrain. Chile's focus on urban planning and ensuring that people don't build in high-risk areas is smart, but the fact that they don’t have an early warning system is concerning :( An early warning system would help save lives by giving people time to evacuate before a disaster strikes!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Geology9YJOctober 12, 2024 at 5:41 PM

    Hello Sofia,
    I enjoyed reading your reflection. I found it interesting to read when the landslide occurred in Chile. I found it especially interesting how you said Chile doesn't have an early warning system as I think all countries should. The pictures gave me a good visual. Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 3: Earthquakes

Image
Being on the Ring of Fire makes Chile very prone to earthquakes. The seismic map below shows where most earthquakes occur in Chile. The red zones along the coast is where the most severe earthquakes happen. Chile has experienced many severe earthquakes before. The largest recorded earthquake happened in May of 1960, and had a magnitude of 9.5. This occurred west of Temuco. The most recent earthquake with the largest magnitude of 8.3 happened in 2015 near Illapel. Chile has an average of 1,024 earthquakes per year. Most of the earthquakes in Chile are of smaller magnitudes, and severe earthquakes do not occur that frequently.                                                     Earthquakes in Chile have led to tsunamis and collapsing buildings. Unfortunately, as a result, hundreds of people lost their lives. Chile makes a strong effort to keep its citizens...
Read more

Week 1: Introduction to Chile

Image
  Chile is a country located in South America. The capital of Chile is Santiago. Northern Chile is mostly a desert environment, whereas the central and southern regions are more temperate. Chile has a diverse landscape. It is bordered by the Andes Mountains in the east, and the Pacific Ocean in the west. As of 2024, the population is 19,777,514. Natural hazards are a natural event, such as an earthquake or a flood, that poses a threat to human life or property. A disaster is a high-risk situation that does not occur over a long span of time. A disaster can be classified by 100 or more people being affected, or the specific area of the event declaring a state of emergency. In contrast, a catastrophe is a major disaster that lasts over a longer period of time and requires large amounts of time and money to recover. A catastrophe is more severe than a disaster.  Links to sources:  People https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/chile-population/# chile-map  ...
Read more

Week 5: Volcanoes

Image
Chile is on the South American and Nazca tectonic plates. As a result of this, Chile often has earthquakes. Such earthquakes can trigger volcanic eruptions. One sign that a volcano could erupt is if there are frequent earthquakes occurring in one area for an extended period of time.  Around 2,000 volcanoes are spread across the Andes Mountains in Chile. Of these 2,000 volcanoes, only about 36 of them are currently active. After Indonesia, Chile has the largest volcano chain in the world! Most of the volcanoes in Chile are stratovolcanoes. Below is a picture of the Villarrica Volcano, which last erupted in 2024. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Chile. Although its last major eruption was in 1985, it has since had many small eruptions that affected neighboring regions.  While most of the volcanoes in Chile are inactive, it is still vital to have a strong plan on what to do in case of an eruption. The Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service provides cit...
Read more