Landslides are a frequent danger in the U.S. In fact, almost 44% of the nation may face the threat of landslides, which can lead to catastrophic consequences. Our latest national landslide susceptibility map reveals the areas where these events are most likely to occur.
The U.S. Geological Survey has recently unveiled a new nationwide landslide susceptibility map, indicating that close to 44% of the United States could be at risk for landslide activity. This detailed assessment provides a comprehensive view, broken down by county, illustrating where these destructive and potentially lethal geological events are most likely to happen, as well as regions where the risk is minimal.
The updated map will aid in risk management and land-use strategy by highlighting areas that may be unstable, enabling planners and engineers to strategically prioritize and address potential landslide risks.
“This national landslide susceptibility map tackles an important yet complex question: which parts of the U.S. are susceptible to landslides?” remarked Ben Mirus, a research geologist with the USGS. “We are pleased to make this information available to the public to help increase preparedness and foster a more hazard-resilient nation.”
Previously, detailed landslide maps were only created for a few regions in the U.S. deemed at high risk, but this new map broadens the scope to encompass many additional hazardous areas that had limited data regarding their landslide potential.
Mirus and his team utilized an extensive database of nearly 1 million past landslides, combined with high-definition national elevation data sourced from the USGS 3D Elevation Program, along with advanced computational techniques, to develop their thorough landslide susceptibility model. The resulting map covers the contiguous United States, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, focusing on landslide-prone locations with much greater detail than existing continental or global landslide maps.
This new mapping tool can also identify regions where further landslide mapping is necessary, as well as inform strategies for enhanced landslide mitigation.
