Daily Landslide Observatory Report: March 13, 2026
1. Ethiopia: Catastrophic Landslides Kill at least 50 in Gamo Zone
Following over a week of persistent heavy rainfall, a series of devastating landslides struck the southern Ethiopian highlands on March 10–12. The events focused on the Gamo Zone, specifically within the districts of Gacho Baba, Kamba, and Bonke.
- Impact: Regional officials confirmed at least 50 deaths, with over 125 people still missing. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, though hampered by the remote terrain and continuing rainfall.
- Engineering Context: The region is characterized by steep, high-altitude slopes that have been sensitized by the Belg (short) rainy season. The failures are primarily high-velocity mudflows triggered by total soil saturation.
- Risk Reduction: Tilahun Kebede, president of the South Ethiopia Regional State, has issued an urgent directive for communities in high-risk highland areas to evacuate to lower, stable ground as more rain is forecast.
- More Info: Associated Press / Newsday | The Watchers Technical Update
2. USA: Bipartisan National Landslide Preparedness Reauthorization Act Introduced
In a significant policy development for Landslide Risk Reduction (LRR), members of the U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced the National Landslide Preparedness Reauthorization Act on March 12, 2026.
- Strategic Goal: The legislation seeks to extend funding through 2028 for the USGS National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program, targeting critical gaps in 3D mapping and science.
- Key Provisions:
- 3D Elevation Program: Implementation of LIDAR data collection nationwide to identify high-risk zones before failure.
- Post-Wildfire Early Warning: Specific funding for early warning systems in burn scars, where debris flow risk is exponentially higher.
- Grant Programs: New funding for state and tribal governments to conduct localized research and data collection.
- Significance: This reauthorization ensures the continuity of the progress made since the 2014 Oso tragedy, integrating better science into public safety and infrastructure planning.
- More Info: U.S. House of Representatives Official Release
3. Pakistan: Karakoram Highway (KKH) Reopened After Major Slope Clearances
Following several days of isolation, the Karakoram Highway—a vital regional artery—was finally cleared of multiple landslides in the Kohistan and Shangla regions on March 12.
- The Event: Intense rainfall and thunderstorms triggered massive rock and debris falls that blocked the highway at several points in Upper and Lower Kohistan, stranding hundreds of passengers.
- Restoration: District police and specialized machinery worked for over 24 hours to clear the arterial sections. Connectivity between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan has been restored, although travel remains cautious due to the risk of “delayed failures” on unstable road cuts.
- Impact in Shangla: The same storm system caused widespread destruction to electricity infrastructure, with over a dozen power lines and three 45-foot transmission poles falling due to slope movement and lightning strikes.
- More Info: The News Pakistan Update | Dawn News Report
Graphics & Visual Assets
- Satellite Verification: For the Ethiopia event, use EUMETSAT/Meteosat imagery to visualize the heavy cloud cover that triggered the Gamo Zone slides.
- Public Domain Diagram: You can use this USGS illustration of a debris flow anatomy to explain the technical difference between the steep rockfalls in Pakistan and the saturation-driven mudflows in Ethiopia.
- LIDAR Illustration: To support the U.S. legislation post, a LIDAR hillshade map (available via OpenTopography) provides a professional visualization of how technology “sees” hidden landslide risks.