Do human activities cause landslides?
Yes, in some cases human activities can be a contributing factor in causing landslides. Many human-caused landslides can be avoided or mitigated. They are commonly a result of building roads and structures without adequate grading of slopes, poorly planned alteration of drainage patterns, and disturbing old landslides.
Detailed on-site investigation is required to determine the importance of human factors in causing any particular landslide.
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Under what circumstances do U.S. Geological Survey landslide personnel conduct field work in landslide-prone areas? Under what circumstances do U.S. Geological Survey landslide personnel conduct field work in landslide-prone areas?
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