How did trade prosper in Central Asia during a period of droughts and little rain?
China
Landslides triggered by the 29 July to 1 August 2023 rainfall event associated with Typhoon Doksuri in northern China
A new paper (Xie et al. 2026) provides a detailed analysis of the landslides triggered by Typhoon Doksuri in northern China in 2023. Between 29 July and 1 August 2023, the remnants of Typhoon Doksuri triggered large numbers of landslides in northern China, most notably in the Taihang Mountains in Beijing, Hebei and Shanxi. Shortly […]
The 6 August 2025 fatal Dayuan landslide in Guangzhou, China
On 6 August 2025, the Dayuan landslide in Guangzhou, China killed 7 people. It was triggered by rainfall onto an area affected by a wildfire. In recent decades, China has built substantial capacity for investigating landslides. One result of this is that most significant landslides there are now analysed with the results published. This is […]
The landslide that caused the 26 August 2026 debris flow in Nepal and Tibet
Enough satellite and drone imagery is now available to allow some initial analysis of the landslide that started the 26 August 2026 debris flow in Nepal and Tibet. Much has been written over the last ten or so days about the tragic debris flow that has caused such high levels of damage and loss of […]
The 26 August 2026 catastrophic debris flow in Nepal and Tibet
The catastrophic debris flow that struck Nepal and Tibet today was triggered by the collapse of a glacier high in the mountains. Loyal readers will have seen the footage of the catastrophic debris flow that struck parts of Tibet and Nepal today, 26 August 2026. There is a variety of sources, of which the CCTV […]
The July 2005 rainfall-induced landslides in Yangshan (the Yang Mountains) in China
Extreme rainfall in July 2025 triggered numerous landslides and debris flows that killed over 60 people. Between 23 and 29 July 2025, the Yanshan (Yan Mountain) [41.0, 120.0] area of Hebei Province in China suffered extreme rainfall that triggered extensive flooding and landslides. As is so often the case in China, I found it difficult to […]
The 17-21 May 2026 landslides in Shimen County, Hunan, China
Satellite images show two very large landslides and multiple smaller failures, and channelised debris flows, in Shimen County in China. In China, this year rainy season started with an intense event that covered the provinces of Guizhou, Hubei and Hunan in the period between 17 and 21 May 2026. There were some news reports at […]
The 17 July 2026 landslide at Hanjia in Chongqing, China
Reports suggest 42 people were killed in a large rockslope failure. Imagery suggests that suspicion will fall on a cutting at the foot of the slope. On Friday 17 July 2026, at 9:08 am local time, a large landslide occurred on the banks of the Wujiang River at Hanjia, located within of Pengshui Miao and […]
The 7 July 2026 landslide at Renzang Village in Longnan City, Gansu Province, China
A major landslide in China yesterday killed 21 forestry workers. Satellite imagery suggests that the slope showed signs of disturbance before the failure. On 7 July 2026, a major landslide struck Renzang Village, which is located in the administrative area of Nanhe Township in Longnan City, Gansu Province, China. Xinhua reports that 33 people were […]
The 24 May 2026 landslide disaster in Yongchuan, Chongqing, China
Planet Labs imagery reveals a cluster of shallow landslides and channelised debris flows triggered by extreme rainfall. Official figures indicate that 20 people were killed. Early in the morning of 24 May 2026, extremely heavy rainfall triggered a significant landslide disaster in Yongchuan District in Chongqing, China. As is so often the case in mainland […]
