Geomorphic and geologic controls of geohazards induced by Nepal's 2015 Gorkha earthquake
Kargel, J. S.; Leonard, G. J.; Shugar, D. H.; Haritashya, U. K.; Bevington, A.; Fielding, E. J.; Fujita, K.; Geertsema, M.; Miles, E. S.; Steiner, J.; Anderson, E.; Bajracharya, S.; Bawden, G. W.; Breashears, D. F.; Byers, A.; Collins, B.; Dhital, M. R.; Donnellan, A.; Evans, T. L.; Geai, M. L.; Glasscoe, M. T.; Green, D.; Gurung, D. R.; Heijenk, R.; Hilborn, A.; Hudnut, K.; Huyck, C.; Immerzeel, W. W.; Liming, Jiang; Jibson, R.; Kääb, A.; Khanal, N. R.; Kirschbaum, D.; Kraaijenbrink, P. D A; Lamsal, D.; Shiyin, Liu; Mingyang, Lv; McKinney, D.; Nahirnick, N. K.; Zhuotong, Nan; Ojha, S.; Olsenholler, J.; Painter, T. H.; Pleasants, M.; Pratima, K. C.; Yuan, Q. I.; Raup, B. H.; Regmi, D.; Rounce, D. R.; Sakai, A.; Donghui, Shangguan; Shea, J. M.; Shrestha, A. B.; Shukla, A.; Stumm, D.; van der Kooij, M.; Voss, K.; Xin, Wang; Weihs, B.; Wolfe, D.; Lizong, Wu; Xiaojun, Yao; Yoder, M. R.; Young, N.
(2016) Science, volume 351, issue 6269, pp.
(Article)
Abstract
The Gorkha earthquake (magnitude 7.8) on 25 April 2015 and later aftershocks struck South Asia, killing ~9000 people and damaging a large region. Supported by a large campaign of responsive satellite data acquisitions over the earthquake disaster zone, our team undertook a satellite image survey of the earthquakes' induced geohazards
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in Nepal and China and an assessment of the geomorphic, tectonic, and lithologic controls on quake-induced landslides. Timely analysis and communication aided response and recovery and informed decision-makers. We mapped 4312 coseismic and postseismic landslides. We also surveyed 491 glacier lakes for earthquake damage but found only nine landslide-impacted lakes and no visible satellite evidence of outbursts. Landslide densities correlate with slope, peak ground acceleration, surface downdrop, and specific metamorphic lithologies and large plutonic intrusions.
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Keywords: Taverne, General Medicine
ISSN: 0036-8075
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
(Peer reviewed)
