Essay: How does mass movement and floods transform or change
landmarks?
Landslides and mudflows are two types
of mass movements. Landslides are the most dangerous kind of mass movements as
they can contain huge amounts of rocks. A mudflow is a mass movement formed out
of water, rock, and soil. More than half of a mudflow consists of water. For
landslides and mudflows to take place we need erosion and floods. Erosion is
the process by which natural forces move weathered rock and soil from one place
to another. A flood is an
overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines. Landslides,
mudflows, floods and erosion are important natural forces that transform
landforms.
Landslides
occur when rock and soil quickly slide down a steep slope. They mainly
occur near railroad tracks, and highways that have been cut through hills or mountains.
A landslide recently occurred on January 5 in the Philippines as a result of
constant rainfall and the soil became heavily waterlogged; 25 people were
killed and 100 people are still missing. Mudflows happen because water and clay
content in the soil turns to liquid and begins to flow. They occur after heavy
rains in normally dry areas, and also occur on very gentle slopes. A recent
example of a mudflow was one that occurred on January 10 near Rio de
Janeiro; flooding caused the mudflow, which killed at least eight people. Landslides
and mudflows help to transform the earth’s surface in a destructive way because
it results in the collapse of a hill or mountainside.
Erosion happens because of wind, ice, water, and
gravity which all work to reshape earth’s surface. Both landslides and mudflows
are examples of erosion. Wind and water erosion take place at a much slower
rate; the Grand Canyon is an example. Floods generally occur after a lot of
rain. In Asia during the rainy season floods cause a lot of destruction and
death, such as the floods that occurred in Thailand and Australia a few months
ago. Both flooding and erosion change the shape of the land because it removes soil,
rock and landforms.
Landslides,
mudflows, and floods can have a serious impact on the earth. Not only do they
change the surface of the earth by destroying or changing landforms, but also
through the cycle of erosion and deposition the earth’s surface is built up
again. This on-going cycle is important for the creation of new landforms. Mass
movements such as landslides and mudflows contribute to the cycle. Without
these natural forces the earth wouldn’t be the same.
