Landslides induced by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan, China

The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake with a magnitude of Mw 7.9 induced numerous slope movements on the hanging walls of fault surface ruptures and on steep inner valleys along the Minjiang River. Landslide moving directions showed preferred orientations normal to the fault ruptures, indicating the effect of the directivity of the seismic wave. The most common landslides were of carbonate rocks, which are easily dissolved and decrease the contact surfaces. The largest non-volcanic landslide in history was induced in bedded dolomite by the earthquake, and was preceded by gravitational deformation with ridge-top depressions. Valley-fill materials were mobilized at 36 locations, probably by pore water pressure build up.

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