The 1.4 million cubic metres landslide suddenly detached from the slope in the left centre of the image 10 minutes after the main shock of the Wenchuan Earthquake (May 12, 2008). It buried part of the town of Beichuan, but the extreme landslide velocity led to additional destruction by air blasting. Approx. 1,700 people were killed.

Keywords

earthquake, hazard impact, landslide, mountainscape, non-tropical montane forest, rock slide, tectonics, Zonobiome V

Created

Monday 9 June 2014 by Martin Mergili in Asia / People's Republic of China (7023 visits)