Catastrophic, rainfall-induced debris flows in Andean villages of Tarapacá, Atacama Desert, northern Chile

In March 2012, during the rainy season in the Altiplano plateau, a >100-year return period rainfall event affected the deeply incised valleys of the Precordillera of the Tarapacá Region, northern Chile. This extreme event in a very arid region triggered a number of debris and mud flows that cause...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Landslides 2014-06, Vol.11 (3), p.481-491
Main Authors: Sepúlveda, Sergio A., Rebolledo, Sofía, McPhee, James, Lara, Marisol, Cartes, Mauricio, Rubio, Eduardo, Silva, David, Correia, Nicolle, Vásquez, Juan P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Alluvial fans
Arid zones
Civil Engineering
Debris
Debris flow
Deserts
Destruction
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Geography
Landslides
Landslides & mudslides
Mudflows
Natural Hazards
Rain
Rainfall
Rainy season
Recent Landslides
Seasons
Settlements
Valleys
Villages
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Summary:In March 2012, during the rainy season in the Altiplano plateau, a >100-year return period rainfall event affected the deeply incised valleys of the Precordillera of the Tarapacá Region, northern Chile. This extreme event in a very arid region triggered a number of debris and mud flows that caused severe damage and destruction in several small villages along the Camiña and Tarapacá valleys. The highly vulnerable location of the villages on top of alluvial fans due to socioeconomic and cultural reasons is a key factor to explain the level of destruction in most villages. In this paper, this unusual, remarkable landslide event is described, and the hazard faced by these settlements for future rainfall episodes and possible mitigation measures are discussed.
ISSN:1612-510X
1612-5118
DOI:10.1007/s10346-014-0480-2