Landslides Triggered by the 3 August 2014 Ludian (China) Mw 6.2 Earthquake: An Updated Inventory and Analysis of Their Spatial Distribution

Abstract

The 3 August 2014 Ludian, Yunnan, China Mw 6.2 (Ms 6.5) earthquake triggered a large number of coseismic landslides. Based on pre- and post-quake high-resolution optical satellite images, this study established a new, complete and objective database of these landslides with field investigations. The updated inventory shows that this earthquake triggered at least 12 817 landslides with a total occupation area of 16.33 km2, covering a nearly circular area about 600 km2, which all exceed those in our previous work and other relevant studies. In addition, we used this database to examine the correlations of the landslides with topographic, geologic, and seismic factors. Results show that the landslides occurred mostly at places with slope gradients 10°–40°, showing an increase tendency with steeper slopes. Affected by the propagation direction of the earthquake rupture, the eastward-facing slopes are more prone to landsliding. The differences between the landslide susceptibility in different strata indicate that lithology is also an important controlling factor. The landslide density of the places with peak ground acceleration (PGA) greater than 0.16g is obviously larger than those with PGA less than 0.16g. Meanwhile, the greater the distance from the epicenter, the lower the susceptibility of landslides is. This study suggests that when using satellite images to create coseismic landslide inventories, it should meet certain conditions, including high resolution, whole coverage, and timely data collection. The correct criteria of coseismic landslide inventorying also should be followed. Such inventories can provide a reliable basis for hazard assessment of earthquake-triggered landslides and other quantitative studies.