Book 5, Question 74
Handle With Care! Why Can a Changing Earth Be Dangerous?
Earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and landslides are all ways Earth changes, and they can be dangerous to people. Scientists watch for signs and study past events to help communities get ready. Knowing what to do can help keep families safe.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 5
More fun facts
- Every year in the United States, natural hazards cause disasters that put millions of lives at risk and do billions of dollars in damage.
- Landslides happen in all 50 states.
- Some landslides creep only inches a year, while others race tens of miles per hour, faster than a person can run.
- A landslide can sit still for centuries and then suddenly start moving again.
- Heavy rain, earthquakes and volcanoes can all set off landslides, and so can people digging into slopes or clearing plants.
- Ash, mudflows and lava from a volcano can harm towns nearby and cause trouble far downwind and downstream.
- Even a quiet volcano can have steep slopes that collapse into landslides.
Sources: U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Geological Survey
Questions kids ask
Can a landslide move faster than me?
Yes. Some fast landslides move faster than a person can run, sometimes with no warning.