Causes, Characteristics and Impacts of Landslide Processes in Contrasting Areas of the Andean Region

In the Andean region, landslides are common geomorphological agents that can cause disasters. The occurrence and properties of landslides in this region are determined by the interactions of several geological, topographic and climatic factors as well as by anthropogenic activities. A better underst...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cuadernos de Geografía: Revista Colombiana de Geografía
Main Authors: Mergili, Martin, Marchant Santiago, Carla I., Moreiras, Stella M.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Bogotá - Facultad de Ciencias Humanas - Departamento de Geografía 2015
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Online Access:https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/rcg/article/view/50211
Description
Summary:In the Andean region, landslides are common geomorphological agents that can cause disasters. The occurrence and properties of landslides in this region are determined by the interactions of several geological, topographic and climatic factors as well as by anthropogenic activities. A better understanding of the characteristics of landslides can be obtained from comparative studies on climatic, geomorphological and socioeconomic issues. Colombia, which has a tropical, wet climate and a high population density, has one of the highest landslide risks in the world. These landslides are induced by displacements and flows caused by La Niña or the activity of glaciated volcanoes; in contrast, in central-western Argentina, which is arid and sparsely populated, landslides are triggered by rock falls and debris flows and are generally associated with El Niño. Las remociones en masa son agentes geomorfológicos comunes en la región Andina, las cuales pueden producir desastres, cuya ocurrencia y propiedades son determinadas por la interacción de varios factores geológicos, topográficos, climáticos y las actividades antropogénicas. La comprensión de sus características se beneficia de estudios comparativos sobre áreas climáticas, geomorfológicas y socioeconómicas. Colombia, con su clima húmedo tropical y una alta densidad poblacional, es uno de los puntos globales de más alto riesgo de remociones en masa, como deslizamientos y flujos, accionados por La Niña o la actividad de volcanes glaciados, los cuales contrastan con las caídas de rocas y flujos detríticos en el árido y escasamente poblado centro-oeste argentino, donde los eventos son generalmente asociados a El Niño. As remoções em massa são agentes geomorfológicos comuns na região andina e podem produzir desastres, cujas ocorrência e propriedades são determinadas pela interação de vários fatores geológicos, topográficos, climáticos e as atividades antropogênicas. A compreensão de suas características beneficia-se de estudos comparativos sobre áreas climáticas, ...