Rain causes soil to become saturated and can lead to landslides. (“La Conchita Landslide.” Photo by R.L. Schuster, U.S. Geological Survey, 1995. http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/ landslide/ big/8.htm)

Rain Causes Soil

Rainfall can also cause erosion. For example, many areas in the western United States have occasionally experienced drought conditions. The combination of hot temperatures and little water leads to an increase in wildfires. Later, when it rains in the burnt areas where there are no longer any plant roots to hold the soil in place, massive erosion in the form of landslides can occur.

Fires are not the only things that make areas susceptible to landslides. Any activity that destroys vegetation can make an area susceptible to landslides. Human activities, such as agriculture, or the construction of roads or buildings, can destroy vegetation. For example, the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States experiences landslides because of the destruction of vegetation caused by population growth in the area.

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