Extreme climate and human activities contribute to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow: a case study in the Heishui Gully

Rainfall is an excitation factor for rainfall-type debris flows, and high-frequency rainfall commonly does not directly trigger large-scale catastrophic debris flows. A low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow occurred in Heishui Gully (HSG), Pingwu County, Sichuan Province, southwestern...

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Main Authors: Wentao Zhou, Qiang Zou, Siyu Chen, Hu Jiang, Bin Zhou, Hongkun Yao, Tao Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Geomatics, Natural Hazards & Risk
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475705.2024.2316719
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author Wentao Zhou
Qiang Zou
Siyu Chen
Hu Jiang
Bin Zhou
Hongkun Yao
Tao Yang
author_facet Wentao Zhou
Qiang Zou
Siyu Chen
Hu Jiang
Bin Zhou
Hongkun Yao
Tao Yang
author_sort Wentao Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Rainfall is an excitation factor for rainfall-type debris flows, and high-frequency rainfall commonly does not directly trigger large-scale catastrophic debris flows. A low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow occurred in Heishui Gully (HSG), Pingwu County, Sichuan Province, southwestern China on 12 July 2022. In this study, the HSG debris flow was used as a case study to reveal the formation mechanisms of low-frequency and large-scale catastrophic debris flow triggered by high-frequency gentle rainfall by calculating and analysing a total of five indicators, including the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI), the Freeze-Thaw Index (FTI), the empirical relationship between earthquakes and landslides, the hypsometric integral (HI) and human activities. The study results indicate that high-frequency gentle rainfall is a direct factor in the debris flow outbreak in HSG. Long-duration extreme drought conditions and extreme freeze-thaw erosion provided sufficient soil conditions for debris flow formation. Frequent earthquakes and mature erosional geomorphologic evolution have indirectly contributed to the debris flow formation. Simultaneously, human activities downstream of HSG amplified the risk of debris flow disaster. The results reveal the contribution of extreme climates and human activities to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flows initiated by high-frequency gentle rainfall, which is significant for accurately assessing and predicting debris flow occurrence.
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spelling doaj-art-bbb2b7cbd8754065a83dbbf1c0d118c22025-08-20T01:59:04ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGeomatics, Natural Hazards & Risk1947-57051947-57132024-12-0115110.1080/19475705.2024.2316719Extreme climate and human activities contribute to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow: a case study in the Heishui GullyWentao Zhou0Qiang Zou1Siyu Chen2Hu Jiang3Bin Zhou4Hongkun Yao5Tao Yang6Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process/Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chengdu, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process/Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chengdu, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process/Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chengdu, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process/Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chengdu, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process/Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chengdu, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process/Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chengdu, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process/Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chengdu, PR ChinaRainfall is an excitation factor for rainfall-type debris flows, and high-frequency rainfall commonly does not directly trigger large-scale catastrophic debris flows. A low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow occurred in Heishui Gully (HSG), Pingwu County, Sichuan Province, southwestern China on 12 July 2022. In this study, the HSG debris flow was used as a case study to reveal the formation mechanisms of low-frequency and large-scale catastrophic debris flow triggered by high-frequency gentle rainfall by calculating and analysing a total of five indicators, including the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI), the Freeze-Thaw Index (FTI), the empirical relationship between earthquakes and landslides, the hypsometric integral (HI) and human activities. The study results indicate that high-frequency gentle rainfall is a direct factor in the debris flow outbreak in HSG. Long-duration extreme drought conditions and extreme freeze-thaw erosion provided sufficient soil conditions for debris flow formation. Frequent earthquakes and mature erosional geomorphologic evolution have indirectly contributed to the debris flow formation. Simultaneously, human activities downstream of HSG amplified the risk of debris flow disaster. The results reveal the contribution of extreme climates and human activities to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flows initiated by high-frequency gentle rainfall, which is significant for accurately assessing and predicting debris flow occurrence.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475705.2024.2316719Debris flowlow-frequency and large-scaleformation mechanismsextreme climateshuman activities
spellingShingle Wentao Zhou
Qiang Zou
Siyu Chen
Hu Jiang
Bin Zhou
Hongkun Yao
Tao Yang
Extreme climate and human activities contribute to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow: a case study in the Heishui Gully
Geomatics, Natural Hazards & Risk
Debris flow
low-frequency and large-scale
formation mechanisms
extreme climates
human activities
title Extreme climate and human activities contribute to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow: a case study in the Heishui Gully
title_full Extreme climate and human activities contribute to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow: a case study in the Heishui Gully
title_fullStr Extreme climate and human activities contribute to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow: a case study in the Heishui Gully
title_full_unstemmed Extreme climate and human activities contribute to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow: a case study in the Heishui Gully
title_short Extreme climate and human activities contribute to low-frequency, large-scale catastrophic debris flow: a case study in the Heishui Gully
title_sort extreme climate and human activities contribute to low frequency large scale catastrophic debris flow a case study in the heishui gully
topic Debris flow
low-frequency and large-scale
formation mechanisms
extreme climates
human activities
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475705.2024.2316719
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