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Are You Prepared for Landslides?

City of SeattleFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/30/2012

Are You Prepared for Landslides?
Rainfall gauge exceeds landslide threshold

SEATTLE — 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.  Today the USGS rain gauge used to anticipate the likelihood of landslides in the area moved about the threshold, meaning some level of landslide activity is likely in the coming days.  The City of Seattle urges residents to take preventive measures to protect themselves and their property from possible landslides.

Landslide experts agree there is not one single factor that contributes to landslides in the area, but in most cases there are steps that property owners can take to mitigate risk.

With 20,000 Seattle properties (mostly residential) in landslide-prone areas, the
City of Seattle and the Take Winter By Storm campaign encourage property owners to take preventive measures to protect themselves from landslides, and learn more about how to manage hillside property by attending a free landslide awareness meeting.

2012 City of Seattle Landslide Awareness Meeting - November 10.

The free landslide awareness meeting will give the public the opportunity to consult with public/private landslide experts and learn simple preventive measures that will help protect them from future landslides, such as the following:

  • Clearing nearby storm drains of leaves and other debris
  • Checking downspouts; making sure they are functioning/routed to a safe location
  • Inspecting sloping areas for indications of slope 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
  • Knowing when to seek professional help for hillside projects

2012 City of Seattle Landslide Awareness Meeting

The landslide awareness meeting will include a presentation that discusses the causes of landslides, proper drainage for sloping sites, and vegetation maintenance on slopes. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session and time for one-on-one discussions with professionals in the field, including the City of Seattle, and volunteers from The American Society for Civil Engineers, The Association of Engineering Geologists, The International Society of Arboriculture, and Associated Building Contractors.

Nov. 10, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Northgate Community Center
Multipurpose Room
10510 5th Ave. NE
(across from Northgate Mall)

Seattle Landslides

The landslide record that was documented in the Seattle Landslide Study of 2000 indicates that 86 percent of landslides that have occurred in the city have some human influence such as excavating and filling on steep slopes, broken pipes and uncontrolled storm water.

Since the devastating landslide season of 1996/1997, which involved over 300 reported landslides, the city has taken steps to prepare and respond to slides by constructing mitigation projects to reduce the potential for future slides. It has also been presenting these public landslide awareness meetings for owners of landslide-prone property.

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, please visit: http://landslides.usgs.gov/monitoring/seattle/rtd/plot.php.

For more information about Seattle landslides and the City of Seattle free landslide awareness meetings, please visit: www.seattle.gov/dpd/emergency/landslides.

Take Winter By Storm is a regional campaign aimed at helping citizens and businesses get prepared before bad weather strikes. Learn more at: www.takewinterbystorm.org.

[View City of Seattle News Release]
City of Seattle FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/30/2012

Are You Prepared for Landslides?
Rainfall gauge exceeds landslide threshold

SEATTLE — 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.  Today the USGS rain gauge used to anticipate the likelihood of landslides in the area moved about the threshold, meaning some level of landslide activity is likely in the coming days.  The City of Seattle urges residents to take preventive measures to protect themselves and their property from possible landslides.

Landslide experts agree there is not one single factor that contributes to landslides in the area, but in most cases there are steps that property owners can take to mitigate risk.

With 20,000 Seattle properties (mostly residential) in landslide-prone areas, the
City of Seattle and the Take Winter By Storm campaign encourage property owners to take preventive measures to protect themselves from landslides, and learn more about how to manage hillside property by attending a free landslide awareness meeting.

2012 City of Seattle Landslide Awareness Meeting - November 10.

The free landslide awareness meeting will give the public the opportunity to consult with public/private landslide experts and learn simple preventive measures that will help protect them from future landslides, such as the following:

  • Clearing nearby storm drains of leaves and other debris
  • Checking downspouts; making sure they are functioning/routed to a safe location
  • Inspecting sloping areas for indications of slope 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
  • Knowing when to seek professional help for hillside projects

2012 City of Seattle Landslide Awareness Meeting

The landslide awareness meeting will include a presentation that discusses the causes of landslides, proper drainage for sloping sites, and vegetation maintenance on slopes. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session and time for one-on-one discussions with professionals in the field, including the City of Seattle, and volunteers from The American Society for Civil Engineers, The Association of Engineering Geologists, The International Society of Arboriculture, and Associated Building Contractors.

Nov. 10, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Northgate Community Center
Multipurpose Room
10510 5th Ave. NE
(across from Northgate Mall)

Seattle Landslides

The landslide record that was documented in the Seattle Landslide Study of 2000 indicates that 86 percent of landslides that have occurred in the city have some human influence such as excavating and filling on steep slopes, broken pipes and uncontrolled storm water.

Since the devastating landslide season of 1996/1997, which involved over 300 reported landslides, the city has taken steps to prepare and respond to slides by constructing mitigation projects to reduce the potential for future slides. It has also been presenting these public landslide awareness meetings for owners of landslide-prone property.

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, please visit: http://landslides.usgs.gov/monitoring/seattle/rtd/plot.php.

For more information about Seattle landslides and the City of Seattle free landslide awareness meetings, please visit: www.seattle.gov/dpd/emergency/landslides.

Take Winter By Storm is a regional campaign aimed at helping citizens and businesses get prepared before bad weather strikes. Learn more at: www.takewinterbystorm.org.

[View City of Seattle News Release]