Synopsis

In April of 2018, a landslide ravaged a hillside overlooking homes in Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture. The slide, a torrent of earth and debris extending over a hundred meters wide, obliterated four houses and tragically claimed six lives. Landslide hazards are widespread across Japan, with roughly 680,000 areas designated as high risk. The primary cause of these devastating events is widely understood to be heavy rainfall. This exploration examines the mechanics of landslides and the most recent