Second Symposium on Landslides in the Andes
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40 years ago Peru and the world were shocked by a rock-ice avalanche triggered by the May 31st M7.9 Chimbote earthquake which completely destroyed the Andean villages of Yungay and Ranrahirca in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru killing several thousand inhabitants. This event added a new dimension to the understanding of earthquake risk in the western hemisphere. Since then multiple landslide disasters of similar magnitude have happened in the Andean region. Andean communities were repeatedly affected by landslides of similar and larger size of events often leading to the loss of life and property or to the interruption of life lines. Some of these events were triggered by earthquakes along the continental margin or within the South American plate, others by rain fall or volcanic activity and even other occurred without any obvious external trigger mechanism.
The Andes with local relieve contrasts exceeding often the 3000 m and a relatively high population density has always been especially prone to landslide disasters of various magnitudes and local research initiatives as well as broad international cooperation lead to a better understanding of the landslide hazard and landslide risk in the Andes in the past years. Research has focused on geological, geographical conditioning factors, triggering mechanism, geotechnical investigations and was carried out in all geological provinces and climate zones. In the same way studies focused on the technical understanding of landslides issues as well as on the impact of landslides on society.
The symposium therefore likes to attract both papers focusing on the scientific, technical aspect of all types and sizes of landslides in all Andean countries as well as research related to landslide mitigation, prevention and landslide risk to stimulate the discussion among various fields of sciences and engineers.
The "2nd symposium on landslides in the Andes" organized at the geological congress of Peru in Cuzco is following the successful symposium on the Argentinean geological congress in the Andean town of Jujuy in 2008. The event in Jujuy attracted 43 contributions on landslides in five Andean countries which were presented by researchers from 8 countries. These contributions have been published in a conference proceeding and a special issue on landslides in the Andes is in press in the Revista de la Associación Geológica de Argentina. The second symposium on landslides in the Andes builds on this experience and also plans to summarize contributions in both the proceedings of the Congress and a peer reviewed journal. The venue lies in the heart of the Andes inviting to visit Macchu Picchu and the Río Santa valley were dimensions of landslide risk and complexity becomes easily visible.
We are happy to inform that Suzanne Lacasse from Norwegian Geotechnical Institute has agreed on joining the 2nd Symposium on landslides in the Andes. She will give an overview talk on “landslide risk assessment”. In addition, we will invite a representative from Chile to report on landslides and ground effects related to the recent Concepcion earthquake. |
Convenors:
Ing. Patricio Valderrama
Geologic Hazards Research Specialist
Instituto Geológico Minero y Metalúrgico
Av. Canadá 1470 San Borja, Lima
Perú
Email: pvalderrama@ingemmet.gob.pe
Dr. Reginald L. Hermanns
Head of the landslide department
Norwegian Geological Survey
Project manager: Stability of rock slopes, International Centre for Geohazards
Leiv Eirikssons vei 39
NO 7491 Trondheim
Norway
Email: reginald.hermanns@ngu.no
Sponsor
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