6 November 2018

Buguias, Benguet: an excellent landslide video from the Philippines

Posted by Dave Petley

Buguias, Benguet: an excellent landslide video from the Philippines

An excellent landslide video has been posted onto Youtube.  The video was shot on a road at Man-asok near Buguias in Benguet, on Luzon in the Philippines on 4th November.  The video was captured by a passenger, Kersee Masillem, who was on a bus that stopped short of the site of the landslide:-

 

.

The video captures nicely the force of the landslide.  Notable are:

1. The rocks that tumble down the slope prior to the main failure.  In some cases these are rotating around their short axis, giving very high mobility.

2. The weather conditions at the time of the main failure – this is not a rainfall triggered event.

3. The severe challenge of judging the track of the landslide from the road – the man standing on the barrier was very lucky to escape. The lesson here is to keep well away.

4. The devastating impact of the landslide.  The bus driver did well to stop short.  It is not unusual for people to be killed as drivers try to pick their way through the debris on the road from the precursory events.

Buiguias

The first part of the main failure phase of the landslide at Buguias, Benguet on Luzon in the Philippines on 4th November 2018. Still from a Youtube video captured by Kersee Masillem.

 

GMA News has a report about the landslide that indicates that the roof of the bus was struck by a rock.