Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Landslide Hazards Program

The primary objective of the National Landslide Hazards Program is to reduce long-term losses from landslide hazards by improving our understanding of the causes of ground failure and suggesting mitigation strategies.

News

USGS experts responding simultaneously to two major natural hazards

USGS experts responding simultaneously to two major natural hazards

New USGS map shows where landslides are most likely to occur in U.S.

New USGS map shows where landslides are most likely to occur in U.S.

Un nuevo mapa del USGS muestra dónde es más probable que ocurran deslizamientos de tierra en el país

Un nuevo mapa del USGS muestra dónde es más probable que ocurran deslizamientos de tierra en el país

Publications

Parsimonious high-resolution landslide susceptibility modeling at continental scales

Landslide susceptibility maps are fundamental tools for risk reduction, but the coarse resolution of current continental-scale models is insufficient for local application. Complex relations between topographic and environmental attributes characterizing landslide susceptibility at local scales are not transferrable across areas without landslide data. Existing maps with multiple susceptibility cl
Authors
Benjamin B. Mirus, Gina Marie Belair, Nathan J. Wood, Jeanne M. Jones, Sabrina N. Martinez

RegionGrow3D: A deterministic analysis for characterizing discrete three-dimensional landslide source areas on a regional scale

Regional-scale characterization of shallow landslide hazards is important for reducing their destructive impact on society. These hazards are commonly characterized by (a) their location and likelihood using susceptibility maps, (b) landslide size and frequency using geomorphic scaling laws, and (c) the magnitude of disturbance required to cause landslides using initiation thresholds. Typically, t
Authors
Nicolas Wahde Mathews, Ben Leshchinksy, Benjamin B. Mirus, Michael J. Olsen, Adam M. Booth

Postfire sediment mobilization and its downstream implications across California, 1984 – 2021

Fire facilitates erosion through changes in vegetation and soil, with major postfire erosion commonly occurring even with moderate rainfall. As climate warms, the western United States (U.S.) is experiencing an intensifying fire regime and increasing frequency of extreme rain. We evaluated whether these hydroclimatic changes are evident in patterns of postfire erosion by modeling hillslope erosion
Authors
Helen Willemien Dow, Amy E. East, Joel B. Sankey, Jonathan Warrick, Jaime Kostelnik, Donald N. Lindsay, Jason W. Kean

Science

2024 Hurricane Helene Landslide Hazards

Hurricane Helene produced widespread and damaging landslides. The USGS is mapping landslides to support our partners. This page provides information about the extent and severity of landslide impacts. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Thursday, September 26th, 2024. The hurricane continued across the southern Appalachian Mountains producing record rainfall. This...
link

2024 Hurricane Helene Landslide Hazards

Hurricane Helene produced widespread and damaging landslides. The USGS is mapping landslides to support our partners. This page provides information about the extent and severity of landslide impacts. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Thursday, September 26th, 2024. The hurricane continued across the southern Appalachian Mountains producing record rainfall. This...
Learn More

2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide-Generated Tsunami

A landslide produced a tsunami in Pedersen Lagoon, southwest of Seward, Alaska on Wednesday, August 7th, 2024, at approximately 04:55 AKDT / 12:55 UTC. Preliminary surveying indicates that the landslide generated a tsunami of 17 meters high (approx. 56 ft) or more in Upper Pedersen Lagoon, reducing to about one meter high (approx. 3 feet) in Lower Pedersen Lagoon. Runup heights reported here are...
link

2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide-Generated Tsunami

A landslide produced a tsunami in Pedersen Lagoon, southwest of Seward, Alaska on Wednesday, August 7th, 2024, at approximately 04:55 AKDT / 12:55 UTC. Preliminary surveying indicates that the landslide generated a tsunami of 17 meters high (approx. 56 ft) or more in Upper Pedersen Lagoon, reducing to about one meter high (approx. 3 feet) in Lower Pedersen Lagoon. Runup heights reported here are...
Learn More

Landslide Basics

Landslides occur in all 50 states and territories and they affect lives, property, infrastructure, and the environment. Understanding when, where, and how landslides occur can help to reduce the risk of living with these natural hazards.
link

Landslide Basics

Landslides occur in all 50 states and territories and they affect lives, property, infrastructure, and the environment. Understanding when, where, and how landslides occur can help to reduce the risk of living with these natural hazards.
Learn More

Multimedia

Screenshot of the Hurricane Helene Landslide Observations Dashboard on 10/2/2024 showing 109 flagged landslides and 125 total
10/3/2024 Screenshot of Hurricane Helene Landslide Observations Dashboard
10/3/2024 Screenshot of Hurricane Helene Landslide Observations Dashboard
Map of the Hurricane Helene landslide hazard estimates with the highest hazard being around the mountains.
Hurricane Helene Landslide Hazard Estimate Map
Hurricane Helene Landslide Hazard Estimate Map
¿Dónde Ocurren los Deslizamientos de Tierra?
¿Dónde Ocurren los Deslizamientos de Tierra?
¿Dónde Ocurren los Deslizamientos de Tierra?
where do landslides occur?
Where Do Landslides Occur?
Where Do Landslides Occur?
Photo of geologist holding survey equipment with mountains in the background
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Tsunami Damage Surveying
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Tsunami Damage Surveying
Photo of landslide source area with mountains and glacier in the background
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Landslide Source
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Landslide Source
Photo showing damaged coniferous trees
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Damaged Trees
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Damaged Trees
Photo showing flattened vegetation following the landslide
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Flattened Vegetation
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Flattened Vegetation
Up close view of the lower zone of the landslide with the glacier in the bottom left corner
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Runout
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide Runout
Was this page helpful?