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River-damming landslides during the 1960 Chile earthquake (M9.5) and earlier events: implications for risk assessment in the San Pedro River basin

Author

Listed:
  • Cristian Araya-Cornejo

    (Universidad Alberto Hurtado
    Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)

  • Matías Carvajal

    (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
    Millennium Nucleus The Seismic Cycle Along Subduction Zones)

  • Daniel Melnick

    (Millennium Nucleus The Seismic Cycle Along Subduction Zones
    Universidad Austral de Chile)

  • Jasper Moernaut

    (University of Innsbruck)

  • César Araya

    (Universidad de Chile)

  • Felipe González

    (RWTH Aachen University)

Abstract

Damming rivers by landslides and ensuing outburst flooding is a common and potentially hazardous phenomenon worldwide, especially in tectonically active regions. Remarkable examples are the damming of the upper course of the San Pedro River (SPR) in south Chile during the 1960 Chile earthquake (M9.5) and its predecessor in 1575. Outburst floods following both events had tragic consequences for downstream communities. Here, we study both events from multiple sources of information, including previously published and newly found historical records, satellite imagery, LiDAR topography, and sedimentological and geomorphological field observations. We present the first detailed geomorphic map of the region. Morphological similarities between ancient deposits at the SPR and those associated with the 1960 earthquake suggest that the SPR has been dammed repeatedly in the past. The steep incision of the SPR and the sediments of glacio-lacustrine origin in the surrounding slopes facilitate the initiation of large landslides. The knowledge gained from studying these past events provides important implications for future risk assessments. We propose that besides large earthquakes, smaller and more frequent earthquakes as well as changes in land use, can also result in river-damming events.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristian Araya-Cornejo & Matías Carvajal & Daniel Melnick & Jasper Moernaut & César Araya & Felipe González, 2024. "River-damming landslides during the 1960 Chile earthquake (M9.5) and earlier events: implications for risk assessment in the San Pedro River basin," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 120(8), pages 7173-7193, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:120:y:2024:i:8:d:10.1007_s11069-024-06474-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-024-06474-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. M. Budimir & P. Atkinson & H. Lewis, 2015. "Erratum to: Earthquake-and-landslide events are associated with more fatalities than earthquakes alone," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 77(2), pages 1419-1419, June.
    2. Noélie Bontemps & Pascal Lacroix & Eric Larose & Jorge Jara & Edu Taipe, 2020. "Rain and small earthquakes maintain a slow-moving landslide in a persistent critical state," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Marco Cisternas & Brian F. Atwater & Fernando Torrejón & Yuki Sawai & Gonzalo Machuca & Marcelo Lagos & Annaliese Eipert & Cristián Youlton & Ignacio Salgado & Takanobu Kamataki & Masanobu Shishikura , 2005. "Predecessors of the giant 1960 Chile earthquake," Nature, Nature, vol. 437(7057), pages 404-407, September.
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