Geologic processes have destroyed not just cities, but civilizations. In the Pacific Northwest, we are cognizant of the dangers of geologic processes such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Landslides are an omnipresent geologic process of our neighborhood. However, landslides are relegated as an orphaned geologic process. Landslides have not always received the required attention as compared to earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.
As one prominent U.S. Geological Survey scientist observed, plane crashes are akin to earthquakes or volcanic eruptions in getting our attention. Landslides however, are regular, common occurrences like car accidents.
Only when a devastating landslide like Oso occurs, do we become cognizant of their destructive power.
Consequences of landslides are enormous. The most tragic consequence is a loss of life. That in itself is reason enough to begin looking at landslides with a renewed earnestness and gravity.
Another obvious consequence is financial and economic loss.
Assessment of exact economic losses from landslide is a task fraught with ambiguity. That is because financial losses, either public or private, following a landslide are spread over several entities.
In the case of the Oso landslide, preliminary financial losses are beginning to emerge.
The cost of rebuilding the destroyed section of Highway 530 and related activities has reached $38 million.
At present, the total cost of emergency operations following the slide is at approximately $67 million.
Losses from destroyed 42 homes and the real estate, the infrastructure, tax revenue loss and indirect cost is yet to emerge but expected to exceed $10 million.
Prior to the Oso landslide, the 1998-99 Aldercrest-Banyon landslide near Kelso was the single most costly landslide in the state and among the costliest in the nation with $110 million in losses.
Typically, winter storms trigger many landslides across the state. The more precipitation, the more widespread are the occurrences of landslides. For example, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad frequently must shut down rail traffic following mudslides that block or damage track. Financial losses from these storm-triggered landslides are not known but the 1996-97 storms were especially damaging and, according to state geologist Dave Norman, that winter’s losses were estimated to be in the neighborhood of $800 million.
Financial consequences of landslide are significant. There is no easily available data to show annual, recurring losses from landslides in the state. But looking at how one agency is responding to financial implication of landslides gives us glimpses of the enormity of the situation.
The state Department of Transportation instituted a 20-year preservation program for unstable slopes. Tom Badgers of the Transportation Department, said work on known unstable slopes has cost $200 million to decrease the likelihood of rockfalls and landslides threatening to hit state roads.
In addition to the proactive work, responding to regular, annual emergency work on unstable slopes along state roadways has cost some where between $200 million to $250 million.
While the cost incurred by other state agencies, counties and municipalities is not known, the state’s transportation budget gives us a realistic insight in to the significance of frequent, annual cost of landslides.
In the backdrop of economic losses amounting in hundreds of millions of dollars, our legislators are debating funding request of $6.6 million by Washington state Geological Survey of Division of Geology and Earth Resources of Department of Natural Resources.
Any engineering geologist with expertise in identification, characterization and mitigation of landslides would attest that when it comes to this geologic hazard, “an ounce of prevention is a pound of cure.”
Toward that end, Snohomish County recently extended a building moratorium near the Oso slide area while it considers updates to land use regulations regarding landslide and other hazards.
Our geology, climate and growth demand that we reevaluate our policy in how we deal with landslides.
Visionary, pragmatic leadership of our state had a foresight to make policy changes to protect our environment. The country followed our footsteps in establishing the environmental protection agency.
We must take yet another bold step in the nation in taking a long-term view in creating a comprehensive 25-year plan to reduce the recurrent, annual economic losses caused by landslides and to stop the loss of human lives.
Moin Kadri is a Washington state-licensed engineering geologist. He wrote in April for The Herald about technology available for judging landslide hazards.
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