Question

Explain how human activities can intensify, or even cause a landslide.
short paragraph

Answer 1

Human activities can intensify or cause landslides by changing slope stability: removing vegetation and tree roots reduces soil cohesion, excavation or undercutting steepens slopes and removes support, and adding weight (buildings, fill, stockpiled materials) increases the driving forces. Altering drainage—poor surface runoff management, irrigation, leaking pipes, or compacted soils—raises pore-water pressure and lowers soil shear strength, while mining, quarrying, blasting, and heavy vibrations can fracture and weaken rock and soil. These actions upset the balance between driving and resisting forces and can trigger slope failure that might not have occurred naturally.