Did you know that most landslides occur between the months of October and April? And that 86 percent of landslides are caused to some extent by human activity?
Landslide season is upon us, and the City of Seattle is urging residents to take preventive measures to protect themselves and their property from possible landslides.
Heavy rains are likely this year for the Pacific Northwest. As the rainfall continues to increase throughout the fall, the threat of landslides will continue to rise in the winter. However, in most cases there are steps that property owners can take to reduce the landslide risk.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, from noon to 1 p.m., the city’s Department of Planning and Development will have a Twitter Landslide Q&A event with a landslide expert. Questions will be taken at @SeattleDPD on Twitter, #seattlelandslides.
Simple preventive measures to be discussed include:
•Checking downspouts and making sure they are functioning/routed to a safe location;
•Inspecting sloped areas for indications of soil movement and erosion;
•Keeping fill and yard waste off slopes;
•Shutting off the irrigation system and checking it out seasonally;
•Leaving tree stumps in the ground on slopes; and
•Knowing when to seek professional help for hillside projects.
Information is also available online at http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/aboutus/whoweare/emergencymanagement/default.htm.
If a landslide damages your property and you have an immediate concern for your safety, leave the premises and call 9-1-1. Seattle property owners with structures that may be affected by or endangered by a landslide should contact a geotechnical professional for structural evaluation.
To view the current conditions of the USGS rainfall threshold for landslides, visit landslides.usgs.gov/monitoring/seattle/rtd/plot.php.