Week 8 blog

 


The Mass Wasting of France

    

(Landslides can cause the loss of people, destruction of infrastructure , damage to land and loss of natural resources.)

    The largest landslide to occur in France was between 1877-88. It was known as the La Clapiere landslide located in the Southern Alps. The total area of the landslide is approximately 1.2 km² and its volume is estimated at around 50 million cubic meters (50 hm3). It was only around 1990-1991 that the upper and lower speeds converged, indicating the transition to an overall rotational slip.

    About 40 years ago, a boulder had fallen down to the road and there was an instability of a slope which lead up to the definitely on the right bank slope of the Tinee river. The slope is marked by the footprint of the Tinee glacier that occupied the valley; steep slope at the base (about 40°), slope failure around hill 1600 m and softer slope above. 


(Rockfalls occur where a source of rock exists above a slope steep enough to allow rapid downslope movement of dislodged rocks by falling, rolling, bouncing, and sliding) On December 2, 2019, a rockfall occured above the village of Les Mees in Alpes de Haute Provenence, France which was caused by a rainfall that occured throughout the autumn. It also weighed so much it destroyed a house.


(During an avalanche, a mass of snow, rock, ice, soil, and other material slides swiftly down a mountainside) There was an incident in on the Mont Blanc of France. A woman and her partner were hiking until the woman got buried under the avalanche in France.


    By learning from the natural catastrophes and in order to face all of the disaster phases of prevention, mitigation and preparedness, emergency response as well as recovery and rehabilitation, relevant laws and regulations have been enacted. Reinforcement of the Protection of the Environment aims to prevent natural disasters such as ‘floods, landslides, avalanches, forest fires, earthquakes, erupting of a volcano, storms and cyclones’ (as written in the law). Plans are established by the municipalities and approved by the prefecture so that it becomes obligatory for all construction or settlement project.



Resources

https://www.encyclopedie-environnement.org/en/soil/la-clapiere-largest-french-landslide-major-risk/#:~:text=The%20La%20Clapi%C3%A8re%20landslide%20is,1100%20m%2C%20to%201760%20m. 

        https://www.adrc.asia/nationinformation.php?NationCode=250&Lang=en&NationNum=27

    https://geology.utah.gov/hazards/landslides/rockfalls/#:~:text=Rockfalls%20occur%20where%20a%20source,cliffs%2C%20bluffs%2C%20and%20terraces.

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/avalanche/


https://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2019/12/04/les-mees-rockfall/

Comments

  1. FatimaMarch 19, 2023 at 6:44 PM

    It's interesting to learn about the La Clapiere landslide in the Southern Alps of France, which was one of the largest landslides to occur in the country. It's important to study and understand the causes and effects of landslides in order to prevent and mitigate their impacts.The recent rockfall above the village of Les Mees is a reminder of the dangers of rockfalls and the need for preventative measures in vulnerable areas. Similarly, the avalanche incident on the Mont Blanc highlights the risks associated with outdoor activities and the importance of safety precautions.
    It's encouraging to see that laws and regulations have been enacted in France to address natural disasters and protect the environment. The establishment of plans by municipalities and approval by prefectures helps to ensure that construction and settlement projects are carried out in a safe and responsible manner.

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