Massive Landslide Transforms Westman Islands

Large chunks of rocks and earth fall off the uninhabited island of  Bjarnarey,  Westman Islands archipelago

A fisherman who witnessed the catastrophe said large columns of water rose into the air as a 50-meter wide chunk of a 120-meter high cliff broke off and collapsed into the ocean below, Icelandic Review reported.

“A large chunk of the island’s vegetation disappeared in the landslide. Where the waves used to crash against a cliff there is now a rocky scree, which extends 100 meters out from the cliff. The largest boulders are believed to weigh as much as 50 tons.”

Credit: Mynd/Óskar P. Friðriksson/Visir.is. Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice.

• More on this story …
• Visir image gallery

Related Links:

• Latest Landslide Locations
• Landslides [A Comprehensive Index of Links to Landslides]

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Taiwan Massive Landslide Buries 6-Lane Freeway

The earth and rocks avalanche blocks a 6-lane  freeway over a 300-meter stretch

“A hill ahead suddenly moved and crashed down on the road within five seconds, said entertainer Chen Mei-feng in an interview with cable station Formosa Television. She was traveling in a car approaching the scene of the landslide.” ETaiwanNews reported.

A massive landslide buried a 300-m stretch of the No. 3 Freeway between Taipei and Keelung. Photo. Taiwan News. Image may be subject to copyright.

The landslide reportedly blocked a 300-meter long of a major road, the No.3 Freeway between Taipei and Keelung earlier today, burying an unknown  number of vehicles under thousands of tons of earth and rocks.

“At 2:33 p.m., the hill slid down at the 3.1-kilometer mark from the northern end, just north of the Chitu toll station, and took down an overpass, Keelung Mayor Chang Tung-jung told reporters.”

The 6-lane Freeway, said to be 100 meters (328 feet) wide, was completely covered by the landslide  over a distance of 300 meters (984 feet).

“The military sent about 200 soldiers to help with relief work, while 36 excavators and 37 trucks arrived at the scene to work through the night, officials said.”

“Experts were still guessing for reasons for the landslide, because there was no earthquake and no rain reported in the area at the time. Media described the incident as the biggest accident on a Taiwanese freeway in 30 years.” The report said. More on this developing news …

Related Links:

• Mudslide Buries Chemical Factory in China
• Landslides [Index page for landslides and related links]
• Additional photos of the landslide
• Landslide Fear Shuts Down Part of 10 Fwy in Pomona

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