The characteristics and mechanisms of the recent catastrophic landslides in Africa under IPL and WCoE projects

Abstract

This paper described the recent catastrophic landslides in Sierra Leone, DR Congo, and Nigeria and their probable mechanisms. The landslides occurred at the peak of rainy season on steep mountains predisposed to failure by geologic, climatic, hydrologic, and tectonic factors. The landslides killed over 500 people and displaced more than 2000 people. The DR Congo landslide occurred a few days after the Sierra Leone landslide of August 14, 2017. The Sierra Leone mudslide occurred in the Regent area of Freetown on the steep slopes of Mount Sugar Loaf. Sugar Loaf forms a part of extensive and forested highlands south of the city. The cities of Freetown, Lokoja in Nigeria, Conakry in Guinea, and other cities in Africa have grown in recent times to almost encircle vulnerable highlands that are prone to failure. The internal friction angles of the slope materials were low at all saturation and normal stress levels used in the study. The result correlated with the stability analysis which showed that the factor of safety along the potential sliding surfaces was at critical value at failure. The number of casualties following a slip of the weak slope materials increased because of the housing pattern and the lack of effective drainages in urban cites in Africa. These factors are important considerations for future prevention and mitigating measures aimed at saving Africa from catastrophic slope failures.