The Verdugo Hills Cemetery Landslide of 1978

Voiceover

Presenter(s)

Jamie Wankum

Abstract or Description

Landslides are a type of mass wasting event that can be caused by the convergence of several factors including steep slopes, seismic activity, and heavy but infrequent rainfall. These events are incredibly destructive and dangerous, and can occur with almost no warning. In John McPhee’s Control of Nature, he discusses a particularly unusual landslide event in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles, California. In 1978, a sudden downpour on the steep, dry, and seismically active mountains surrounding Verdugo Hills Cemetery caused a landslide with unsettling debris. A mix of mud, rock, rainwater, and -eerily- coffins spilled onto the neighborhood of Tujunga below. While this particular incident did not result in any casualties, it is emblematic of how common these disasters are in areas like Los Angeles. Increases in temperature, wildfire risk, and unpredictable weather due to climate change are all contributing factors to the rising risk of landslides in these areas. Although these surrounding neighborhoods’ measures to offset the impact of landslides have been mostly unsuccessful, homes continue to be built in high risk areas. While disasters like the one at Verdugo Hills Cemetery are certainly a symptom of climate change, the continued construction of homes in these sensitive and volatile areas is the more obvious issue.

Mentor

Matt Downen