USGS Maps Landslide Danger in New Database

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has unveiled the “U.S. Landslide Inventory Map,” a new web-based tool that seeks to identify areas that could be at higher risk for future landslides. Existing digital data on landslide occurrence are held by a range of federal, state, and local government agencies, and until now no central point of access has been available. “The database provides centralized access to information about landslide occurrence and a starting point for the public, land managers, emergency planners, and researchers interested in landslide hazards” said Jonathan Godt, USGS program coordinator for Landslide Hazards. Where data is available, the map provides links to original digital geospatial files for further information. Alaska, the West Coast and Rocky Mountain states, and Puerto Rico experience numerous landslides each year. Other parts of the U.S., including the Midwest, Appalachia, and the Northeast, are also often impacted by landslides. Landslides have had disastrous impacts on communities in recent years. For example, in March 2014 a large landslide near Oso, Washington, killed 43 people and caused millions of dollars in damage to property and infrastructure. Read the press release and access the database at USGS.