Contrasting impacts and vulnerability: Landslides

Sierra Leone landslide

Cause- physical Landslides generally happen after periods of heavy rain, saturating or liquefying soil and causing slippage. They are more likely to occur if soil is laid bare by deforestation or urban planning. According to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center, Sierra Leone experienced a particularly wet rainy season, with the capital city of Freetown, in the Western Area of the country, experiencing 104 cm of rainfall from July 1, 2017, leading up to the mudslides – nearly tripling the area's seasonal average.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU_lvR7rHzY&app=desktop

Causes- human Population pressure deforestation Lack of adequate infrastructure As the city pushes up into the mountains, the population pressures are taking a toll on the forest. Trees are being cut down by people who want land for housing and those who cut wood for their daily needs. About14.7% of dense forest in 1986 was converted to built-up by 2015. This increases the risk of mudslides as trees usually prevent run-off and forests hold water. When there is prolonged or intense rainfall in places with no trees, the soil becomes saturated and erodes. Typically, the poor suffer the most whenever there is a disaster in Freetown. This is because they tend to live in high risk areas, such as slopes or coastal slums. https://theconversation.com/sierra-leone-mudslide-was-a-man-made-tragedy- that-could-have-been-prevented-82783

Watch

Management in Sierra Leone Short term: aid and refugee camps Long term- preventing settlement in vulnerable areas Long term- afforestation

Ponzano, Italy

Cause This is a paleo landslide, caused by the combined effect of various earthquakes in the area and heavy snowfall," the town hall representative said. "Accumulations of two metres of snow melted very quickly because of high temperatures, which led to masses of water in the soil.