My theme for my 2015 A to Z Challenge came from my
Disaster Crimes series. Disasters are a theme in each story, so it got me
thinking about all the disasters that occur from natural disasters to manmade
disasters.
Today’s
disaster is...
MUDSLIDE
Mudslides (or
mudflows) are a form of mass/slope movement, a process by which sand, soil,
rock, and regolith move down slope. This usually occurs due to gravity but
water, such as melting snow, heavy rainfall, floods and groundwater, can play a
major role.
FACT: Mass
movement has happened on Mars, Venus, and Jupiter's moon Io.
Because of the clay in most mudslides, they can travel
far and even across areas with low slope angles. They can devastate villages
and countrysides. The hills around Los Angeles are often affected by mudslides.
FACT:
Because mudslides are a lot like floods, they can move houses off their
foundations and even bury them.
Areas that are at risk of mudslides have steep slopes and
are located where surface runoff is directed. Places with channels along
streams/rivers, destroyed vegetation from wildfires or construction, and of
course places that have had landslides in the past are also at risk.
FACT: The
world's largest landslide occurred during the 1980 eruption of Mount St.
Helens, a volcano in Washington, USA.
QUESTIONS: Has
anyone ever tried the Mudslide drink? Do you live at the bottom of a steep slope
(hills/mountains)?
