Eight people have been killed or are missing in two landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in New Zealand Substantial parts of New Zeealand have been suffering extreme rainfall – yet again – causing floods and landslides. The most serious event to date occurred at a camp site at Mount Maunganui on the Bay of Plenty in […]
landslides
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The mental health impact of landslide disasters
A new study (Akhila et al. 2025) in the the journal Development in Practice examines the mental health impacts of the 30 July 2024 Wayanad landslides in India. In this blog, I generally provide a commentary on recent landslide events and a review of subsequent studies of landslides. I regularly discuss the impacts on the […]
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Binaliw: the massive garbage landslide in Cebu City, the Philippines
Recovery operations continue for the 36 victims of the 8 January 2026 garbage landslide in the Philippines. Recovery operations are continuing at the site of the 8 January 2026 landslide at Binaliw in Cebu, the Philippines. At the time of writing, it is reported that the bodies of eight victims have been recovered, whilst 28 […]
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The shifting pattern of landslide risk in cities – an interesting case study from Medellín
An fascinating case study from the 24 June 2025 Granizal landslide in Medellín, Colombia, which killed 27 people and destroyed 50 homes, shows demonstrates that it is not just the urban poor that are exposed to landslides. That urban areas can be subject to high levels of landslide risk is well-established – commonly cited examples […]
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New Eyes on One of the Planet’s Largest Submarine Landslides
Researchers have mapped the ancient Stad Slide off the coast of Norway to better understand what triggered it, and the hunt is on for the tsunami it might have unleashed.
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The terrible landslide destruction at Malalak, Agam regency, West Sumatra province, Indonesia
The Landslide Blog is written by Dave Petley, who is widely recognized as a world leader in the study and management of landslides. In the last few days on November 2025, Cyclone Senyar brought torrential rainfall to parts of Indonesia, and in particular to Sumatra. At the time or writing, at least 1,022 people are […]
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Safety Device Supplies Life-Saving Air in an Avalanche
An Alpine medical team buried 24 volunteers in a mountain pass. Their study confirmed the efficacy of the Safeback SBX, which uses snow’s natural porosity to supply air to buried avalanche victims.
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The 22 May 2025 Qingyang landslide in Guizhou Province, China
A c1.4 million cubic metre landslide, triggered by intense rainfall, killed 19 people. On 22 May 2025, the large Qingyang landslide occurred in Dafang County, Guizhou Province, China. This landslide was widely reported to have “trapped” 19 people. In a paper in the journal Landslides, Wen et al. (2025) provide an initial but very helpful […]
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Some useful tools for monitoring the evolution and behaviour of Hurricane Melissa
Various online datasets will allow a detailed understanding of Hurricane Melissa as it impacts Jamaica and then Cuba Hurricane Melissa is now making headlines around the world in anticipation of its landfall today. As always with tropical cyclones, the picture is evolving continuously as the storm evolves. Their behaviour is highly complex. I thought I’d […]
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Anticipating the impact of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa is bearing down on Jamaica, with many areas likely to see over 500 mm of rainfall. The impacts could be extremely significant. Hurricane Melissa has strengthened substantially over the weekend, and is now on course to track across Jamaica in the next couple of days. Various media agencies have identified the threats that […]