The landslides that forced the authorities to close electricity and gas to hundreds of houses in Rancho Palos Verdes Over the past two months, highlights the risk of living on land likely to move and erode with little warning.
Deep landslides can occur for weeks or months after strong precipitation, when water has time to percola towards low rock areas, creating a landslide plan under the weight of the rocked rock and soil, according to the California Geological Survey.
These types of landslides generally occur on moderately steep slopes.
If you are on the market to buy a house, experts say that there are several ways to determine if you buy a property with a high risk of landslides.
Which causes landslides
The landslides are part of the natural process that erodes the mountains and moves sediments to the ocean through river systems. “It is important for the basic erosion process,” said Jonathan Godt, coordinator of the field clashes for the United States Geological Survey.
“During the human life, we are just a nod in geological time, so the problems (landslide) or these processes do not penetrate our conscience until something like the unhappy situation is Rancho Palos Verdes Arrives, ”he said.
In 2011 the California Geological Survey created a card This shows that a majority of the state coast risks landslides.
Houses built decades ago on old landslides that were at the same time dormant are “well for periods, (but) there are sometimes changes,” said Godt.
Several factors can modify the active status of a landslide, such as precipitation and earthquakes, but warning signs are difficult to see because they are “well under our feet and in a way hidden,” he said.
When the properties of these areas are for sale, it is up to buyers to assess the risk of land movement of the property which interests them.
If the seller or his agent knows that the property is in a seismic danger zone which is subject to strong soil tremors, soil liquefaction or landslide, Information must be disclosedAccording to the State Department of Real Estate.
But buyers are also responsible for carrying out their own research.
Online research on the risk of landslide of a property
At least two websites, Realtor.com And Redfin.com, Provide information on the risk of natural property disaster. Near the bottom of the list, there is a section which breaks down the risk of flooding, fire, heat, wind and air of the property. Unfortunately, landslides and land movements are not factors that are disclosed.
Instead, potential buyers should do a Google search in the neighborhood alongside the words “landslide” or “natural disaster”. If there has been a previous activity of landslides, press articles on these problems will probably surface, said Timothy D. StarkProfessor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois.
For more scientific data, buyers can turn to three landslide cards created by California Geological Survey. THE Patient landslides has landscaping reports from local governments, the National Weather Service and scientific citizens. THE Landslide Allows users to request reports and other documents from landslides in a specific area. THE California Deep Lands Lands Sensitivity and Inventory of Land Gliding Includes a map of the state which marks the areas of sensitivity to landslides in dark red.
California Department of Conservation has also published a 2023 Response report to California's terrain lag This included a page showing where a deeply rooted landslide could occur after the storms of 2023.
Stark also suggested using Google Earth Pro to look at aerial images over time to search for a terrestrial movement.
When you are looking for an address or neighborhood on Google Earth Pro, it will automatically show you the current image. To display past images, click on the Display tab, then historical images or click on a small clock icon above the 3D viewer. You can then zoom or go out to modify the start and end dates.
When you look at the area of the area you are looking for, Stark said that the ground surface characteristics such as drops in neighboring hills or reddish areas (which have exposed or not vegetation) indicate steep slopes – all potential signs of previous slope.
Looking for signs of past or potential landslide
Other signs of risk of landslides can be spotted with the naked eye when you visit a property you are looking to buy.
When you visit the neighborhood, take a look at the surrounding properties.
If the house is close or around the hills, consult the hill or slope itself. A sign of terrestrial movement is if the crest at the top of the hill is flat and then has a steep curve, a drop or cracks, suggesting a previous landslide.
Check the base of the hill; If the ground is raised, it is a sign of movement.
Consider how close the hill or slope is the property that interests you. If there is a sudden ground movement or a landslide, the higher the neighboring hill, the more a landslide can travel, Stark said.
Other signs of land movement passed in the region may include:
- Poorly aligned, roads, childcare rails, public service posts, trees or walls.
- Cracks visible on the ground.
- The water and sewer pipes which are above the ground.
- A cracked or completed road.
- Yellow or white lines shifted on the road.
- Houses in the district supported by wooden boards or railway ties.
- Houses that have cracks or lean.
You can also check if the terrain moves taking a photo of the lines marked shifted on the ground or in a crack in the sidewalk and revisit the same site a week or two later to see if there is a visible difference, said Stark.
If you decide to make an offer for a house and start a receiver, a house inspector can help you determine whether the movement of past land has affected the property.
Stark said house inspectors will end up a home assessment and examine the walls, dry partitions and bases for all types of cracks that suggest land movement. Inspectors will also examine whether the walls are straight and the floor inside the house is at the level.
Inspectors can also suggest whether a geotechnical engineer is necessary to perform house floor samples. These tests can detect soil behavior under variable conditions.
Insurance coverage for landslides?
Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and landslides are generally not covered by a Owners' insurance policy general.
However, owners can buy a non -standard policy, called a condition difference policy, which is often used to cover damage caused by earthquakes.
Jerry Becerra, president of Heffernan Barbary Insurance Services, said that it was possible to find a DIC policy covering earthquakes where the definition of the movement of the earth is wide enough to include landslides. But he said that such a policy could be expensive.
“Assuming that you can find a DIC earthquake policy to cover a building located in an area subject to the Movement of the Earth, the prices would reflect the exhibition,” said Becerra.
The subscribers rely on cards that show the conditions of the soil, the proximity of the defects of earthquakes and other factors to determine the rates, he said.
If the area is known to have a lot of movement of the earth, it said, it is possible that no business is willing to ensure the coverage.
“I should not assume real prices, but I expect more than 1% of the value of the coverage and subject to high deductibles,” said Becerra.
