Landslide States
Landslides can occur in any region throughout the United States, however they are most likely to occur in regions where a combination of earthquakes, heavy rain, wildfires, and hilly terrain occur. Places like : Alaska, Colorado, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
About Landslides
Landslides also referred to as mudslides, and debris flows, occur in all regions throughout the United States. They can be triggered by storms, wildfires, and earthquakes. When a landslide occurs it is often with little to no warning. The best way to avoid a landslide is to be aware of changes in your home and the surrounding landscape. These changes might suggest that a landslide is about to happen.
Important Tips for Avoiding Landslides
There are usually signs on an impending landslide, and you should know your home and the surrounding landscape well enough to notice these signs. The following list will help you know what to look for:
- Follow proper land-use procedures and avoid building structures near steep slopes or along natural erosion valleys.
- Get familiar with the land around your home. Contact local officials to see if landslides have occurred in the past. Slopes where landslides have occurred in the past are likely to experience them in the future.
- Look for changes in your landscape and water drainage, or new cracks in foundations, ceilings, walls and sidewalks.
- Consult a professional for advice on appropriate preventative measures for your home.
- Watch the patterns of storm-water drainage on slopes near your home or business, especially the places where runoff water converges, increasing flow over soil-covered slopes. Watch hillsides around your house for signs of land movement, such as small landslides or leaning trees.
Preparing for a Landslide
Being prepared for a landslide or any other type of disaster requires preparation beforehand. There are three important steps you should complete in preparation for a landslide. To make this even easier, Essential Packs provides you with a FREE online Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide that takes your step-by-step through the process:
Having the proper emergency preparedness kit, having a plan, and knowing what to do before a landslide strikes, will greatly improve you and your family’s chances of being safe. Complete the 3-Step Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide today!
Get A Landslide Survival Kit
Getting an Emergency Preparedness Kit for your home, office (or school), and car(s) is an essential first step in being prepared for a landslide. Emergency Preparedness Kits from Essential Packs, provide you and your family with the emergency supplies your family needs to last for 3 days (72 hours). Deluxe Kits from Essential Packs are compliant with FEMA's guidelines and include important items like: emergency food and drinking water, flashlights, radios, first-aid supplies, sanitation supplies, emergency blankets, waterproof ponchos, and much more.
For additional help on selecting the right kit, visit Step 1 - Get A Kit of our Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide.
Make a Plan
In order to know what to do when a landslide occurs, you need to create a Family Emergency Plan. Sit down with your family members and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go, and what you will do in the event of a disaster or emergency.
To make this easy, Essential Packs provides you with a Family Emergency Planning Document that you can download for FREE. Simply open this PDF document and fill-in the blanks, then, print a copy for each family member, and store one copy in your Emergency Preparedness Kit.
You should update your Family Emergency Plan every six months, as phone number, work locations, and other important information could change.
For more help on creating a Family Emergency Plan, visit Step 2 - Make A Plan of our Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide.
Be Informed
The final step to getting prepared is to be informed about what to do before, during, and after a landslide. FEMA's In-Depth Citizen's Guide to Disaster Preparedness helps you do this by providing you with comprehensive emergency preparedness information a variety of disasters.
Visit Step 3 - Be Informed of our Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide to download FEMA's comprehensive, 200 page book called, "Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness".
