Images

USGS scientists Bill Schulz and Mason Einbund collaborate with University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez professor Stephen Hughes at Yabucoa, Puerto Rico landslide monitoring station.

Animation of Sentinel-2 near-infrared (NIR) satellite images from July 19th, July 27th, and August 9th, 2024, showing August 7th landslide-generated tsunami effects. Increase in dark/black areas on the land on August 9th shows the extent of changes to the surface and vegetation from the tsunami.  

Map of upper and lower Pedersen Glacier lagoon showing the location of landslide initiation (yellow circle), approximate travel path to water (black dotted line with arrow), and preliminary estimates of tsunami runup height on land above the tide level at the time of the event.

This is a cover photo for the Landslide Basics node with the title next to an illustration of a landslide.

Table displaying the USGS Landslide external grant recipients. The information for each recipient organization, project title, and principal investigators is included.

Text "Landslide Basics" on green background, infographic made for landslide basics page

Flooding and debris flows during rain events following the 2024 South Fork Fire near Ruidoso, New Mexico.  

A road sign in the 2024 South Fork Fire, Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico warns of flooding and debris flow hazards.  Partially burned trees are visible on the hillslope in the image background.  Mud and other debris moved down the slope and were deposited along the road, near the base of the sign.

Fast-moving, highly destructive debris flows triggered by intense rainfall are one of the most dangerous post-fire hazards. The risk of floods and debris flows after fires increases due to vegetation loss and soil exposure. Cases of sudden and deadly debris flow are well documented along the western United States, particularly in Southern California.

Timelapse photography of vegetation recovery following the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains of northern California. This two-year image sequence begins four and a half months after the wildfire was contained. Time between photographs is approximately two weeks.

Timelapse photography of vegetation recovery following the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains of northern California. This two-year image sequence begins four and a half months after the wildfire was contained. Time between photographs is approximately two weeks.

A landslide monitoring station within the footprint of the 2016 Fish Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California.  The station collects surface and subsurface data to monitor and detect changes in local hillslope hydrologic conditions.  

The USGS Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station “Maria Ygnacio” is located within the Los Padres National Forest in the Santa Ynez Mountains of southern California. The site consists of surface and subsurface instrumentation that is monitoring the hillslope shown in this image.

University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez and USGS scientists working on the Añasco monitoring station

Situated on a vegetated hillslope surrounded by cattle, is the Añasco monitoring station. A fence was built around the station to keep the grazing cattle from damaging any of the station components

Stephen Hughes, Gabriel Colón, and Ednet López stand on hillslope next to completed landslide monitoring station at Añasco, Puerto Rico

The USGS Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station “Dunsmore” is located within the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The site consists of surface and subsurface instrumentation that is monitoring the hillslope (Photo Credit: Matthew A. Thomas, U.S. Geological survey).

Steep, rugged terrain in the area burned by the 2009 Station Fire, Angeles National Forest, California. This photo was taken approximately 14 years after the wildfire, and the vegetation has fully recovered.  Note the steep slopes in the background of the image.

The USGS Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station “Arroyo Seco” is located within the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The site consists of surface and subsurface instrumentation that is monitoring the hillslope (Photo Credit: Matthew A. Thomas, U.S. Geological survey).

Screenshot from the U.S. Landslide Inventory web application, an openly accessible, centralized map of existing information on landslide occurrence across the entire U.S

Charlie Miles performing field work on the Alaskan Gyre at the Prince William Sound, Alaska