Abstract

PEREZ-GUTIERREZ, Rosalva. Vulnerability analysis for mass landslides: the case of Tlacuitlapa, Guerrero. Bol. Soc. Geol. Mex [online]. 2007, vol.59, n.2, pp.171-181. ISSN 1405-3322.  https://doi.org/10.18268/bsgm2007v59n2a3.

In the town of Tlacuitlapa, in the northern part of the state of Guerrero, geological instability resulting in landslides has affected, to a greater or lesser degree, homes and livelihoods. Geological mapping was used to determine the vulnerability of the zone and included the location and nature of the areas affected by landslides involving rock blocks and earth. In parallel with the geological characterization a survey was conducted, which provided valuable information about the damage caused to the community’s infrastructure.

The analysis defined zones with different degrees of vulnerability. People living within the zone where risks cannot be mitigated - 32 families so far - were advised to abandon their properties in order to avoid possible human losses. In the case of the zone where danger might be partially mitigated, a detailed evaluation of potential damage is required, with engineering works to minimize the risk.

The landslides are the result of the interaction of the slope of the location, the soil and the deposits on which the town was founded. Rainfall is considered to be the main trigger for the landslides, although the impact of the seismic nature of the Balsas River basin cannot be ruled out.

Keywords : landslides; vulnerability; impact; Tlacuitlapa.