The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris Avalanche

Landslides represent a serious mountain hazard to lives and infrastructure, especially when geological factors such as highly fractured rocks, faulting, steep topography, and weathering combine with seismic triggering factors. Considering the potential of producing outcomes, we study the Chuquibamba...

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Main Authors: Juan Manuel Sánchez-Núñez, José Luis Macías Vázquez, José Luis Arce-Saldaña, Juan Carlos Gómez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Geofísica 2025-01-01
Series:Geofísica Internacional
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Online Access:http://revistagi.geofisica.unam.mx/index.php/RGI/article/view/1810
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author Juan Manuel Sánchez-Núñez
José Luis Macías Vázquez
José Luis Arce-Saldaña
Juan Carlos Gómez
author_facet Juan Manuel Sánchez-Núñez
José Luis Macías Vázquez
José Luis Arce-Saldaña
Juan Carlos Gómez
author_sort Juan Manuel Sánchez-Núñez
collection DOAJ
description Landslides represent a serious mountain hazard to lives and infrastructure, especially when geological factors such as highly fractured rocks, faulting, steep topography, and weathering combine with seismic triggering factors. Considering the potential of producing outcomes, we study the Chuquibamba rotational landslide that runs along the NW-SE Incapuquio-Challaviento fault system in southernmost Peru. Its elongated U-shaped and polylobate crown scarp is typical of fault-related landslides, and it is carved into the ignimbrites of the Chuquibamba Formation. The geomorphology of the failure and its associated deposit define seventeen coalescing rotational slides and a widespread debris avalanche. This deposit, the main topic of this study, dated at ca. 102 Å} 5 ka using 10Be (from previous works), is confined to the lower parts of the Grande River valley. It is exposed for about 22.5 km from 3,900 to 1,167 masl with its main front located at ~ 10 km upstream of the Majes River. It covers an area of 33.64 km2 with a minimum volume of 0.72 km3. The resulting deposit has an H/L = 0.12, which is typical of dry debris avalanches elsewhere. It consists of block and matrix facies that have different textural and granulometric features. At the time of its emplacement, the moving avalanche overpassed 20 and 12 m-high obstacles, attaining minimum speeds of 20 and 15 m/s at distances of 15 and 20 km from the source, respectively. After the landslide emplacement, the debris avalanche was re-mobilized by intense rains that produced debris flows, as attested by outcrops along the extension of the debris avalanche and beyond its front. All the features of the Chuquibamba dry avalanche, along with modern seismicity and the intersection of active faults in the region, suggest that the failure had a tectonic origin (uplift and movement along faults) instead of deglaciation, extraordinary rain, or extreme rock weathering. Therefore, landslide generation is a potential hazard in this area of Peru.
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spelling doaj-art-a2e7730060634c11baf6754a19b7ab5b2025-01-02T18:13:05ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de GeofísicaGeofísica Internacional0016-71692954-436X2025-01-016411455147710.22201/igeof.2954436xe.2025.64.1.18101811The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris AvalancheJuan Manuel Sánchez-Núñez0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9174-0738José Luis Macías Vázquez1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2494-9849José Luis Arce-Saldaña2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6879-6725Juan Carlos Gómez3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8388-9102Instituto Politécnico Nacional-CIIEMAD, 30 de junio de 1520 s/n, Col. La Laguna Ticomán, C.P. 07340 Gustavo A. Madero, Ciudad de México, MéxicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Geofísica, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, MéxicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Geología, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, MéxicoInstituto Geofísico del Perú, Calatrava 216, La Molina, Lima 12, PerúLandslides represent a serious mountain hazard to lives and infrastructure, especially when geological factors such as highly fractured rocks, faulting, steep topography, and weathering combine with seismic triggering factors. Considering the potential of producing outcomes, we study the Chuquibamba rotational landslide that runs along the NW-SE Incapuquio-Challaviento fault system in southernmost Peru. Its elongated U-shaped and polylobate crown scarp is typical of fault-related landslides, and it is carved into the ignimbrites of the Chuquibamba Formation. The geomorphology of the failure and its associated deposit define seventeen coalescing rotational slides and a widespread debris avalanche. This deposit, the main topic of this study, dated at ca. 102 Å} 5 ka using 10Be (from previous works), is confined to the lower parts of the Grande River valley. It is exposed for about 22.5 km from 3,900 to 1,167 masl with its main front located at ~ 10 km upstream of the Majes River. It covers an area of 33.64 km2 with a minimum volume of 0.72 km3. The resulting deposit has an H/L = 0.12, which is typical of dry debris avalanches elsewhere. It consists of block and matrix facies that have different textural and granulometric features. At the time of its emplacement, the moving avalanche overpassed 20 and 12 m-high obstacles, attaining minimum speeds of 20 and 15 m/s at distances of 15 and 20 km from the source, respectively. After the landslide emplacement, the debris avalanche was re-mobilized by intense rains that produced debris flows, as attested by outcrops along the extension of the debris avalanche and beyond its front. All the features of the Chuquibamba dry avalanche, along with modern seismicity and the intersection of active faults in the region, suggest that the failure had a tectonic origin (uplift and movement along faults) instead of deglaciation, extraordinary rain, or extreme rock weathering. Therefore, landslide generation is a potential hazard in this area of Peru.http://revistagi.geofisica.unam.mx/index.php/RGI/article/view/1810rotational landslidedebris avalanchefacieschuquibambaperu
spellingShingle Juan Manuel Sánchez-Núñez
José Luis Macías Vázquez
José Luis Arce-Saldaña
Juan Carlos Gómez
The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris Avalanche
Geofísica Internacional
rotational landslide
debris avalanche
facies
chuquibamba
peru
title The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris Avalanche
title_full The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris Avalanche
title_fullStr The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris Avalanche
title_full_unstemmed The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris Avalanche
title_short The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris Avalanche
title_sort chuquibamba landslide western cordillera peru revisited new evidence of a dry debris avalanche
topic rotational landslide
debris avalanche
facies
chuquibamba
peru
url http://revistagi.geofisica.unam.mx/index.php/RGI/article/view/1810
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