Landslides are often
triggered by earthquakes but can also be set off by volcanic eruptions, heavy
rains, groundwater rise, undercutting by streams, and other mechanisms;
consequently, they occur more widely than earthquakes.
The best strategies for landslide hazards are to
avoid construction in hazardous areas and to avoid land uses that provoke mass
movement. To build these strategies into development planning requires
information on the likely occurrence of landslides. It is suggested that this
information should be compiled only for areas of intensive present or planned
land use.
Lastly, the best way to be aware of landslide
potential are past landslides. The location, size, and structure of past
landslides can be interpreted from remotely-sensed imagery.
According to Organization of American States,
development activities (e.g., the conversion of forest to grasslands or crops,
which increases soil moisture) can increase susceptibility to landslides, and
the map units of natural characteristics can be adjusted to show the effects of
these human activities (1987). This is characterized as landslide
potential, to provide the basis for preparing a landslide hazard maps.
https://www.oas.org/dsd/publications/Unit/oea54e/ch11.htm
