Landslides in Padang, West Sumatra, triggered by the September 2009 offshore earthquake

Abstract

On 30 September 2009, numerous landslides occurred in a mountain-ringed region of West Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered by an earthquake off the coast of Padang. The landslides blocked roads in the region, hindering efforts to determine the extent of the damage. Analyses of satellite images (coverage area 1,500 km 2) of the most severely damaged districts, Padang Pariaman and Agam, revealed that 253 landslides had occurred. Severe landslides, involving more than 1 million m 3 of collapsed sediment, were observed at 10 sites within the study area.