The size, distribution, and mobility of landslides caused by the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha earthquake, Nepal

Coseismic landslides pose immediate and prolonged hazards to mountainous communities, and provide a rare opportunity to study the effect of large earthquakes on erosion and sediment budgets. By mapping landslides using high-resolution satellite imagery, we find that the 25 April 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha earthquake and aftershock sequence produced at least 25,000 landslides throughout the steep Himalayan Mountains in central Nepal. Despite early reports claiming lower than expected landslide activity, our results show that the total number, area, and volume of landslides associated with the Gorkha event are consistent with expectations, when compared to prior landslide-triggering earthquakes around the world. The…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: EAR-1546630, 1640797, EAR-1640894, EAR-1546631, EAR-1640797, 1546631, 1640894, 1546630
• UO
  University of Michigan
• ET
  Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich

  Award: ETH-15 15-2