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Avalanches

An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, caused by factors such as humans, animals, rain, and earthquakes. They require snow, a sloped surface, and a trigger, posing significant threats to humans and wildlife. Historically, the first documented avalanche occurred in 1781 in Canada, while the largest was the 1970 Huascaran debris avalanche in Peru, which resulted in a high death toll.

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19 views8 pages

Avalanches

An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, caused by factors such as humans, animals, rain, and earthquakes. They require snow, a sloped surface, and a trigger, posing significant threats to humans and wildlife. Historically, the first documented avalanche occurred in 1781 in Canada, while the largest was the 1970 Huascaran debris avalanche in Peru, which resulted in a high death toll.

Uploaded by

gregodam6312
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What Is an Avalanche and What Causes Them?

An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope such as a


hill or a mountain. There are many possible causes of avalanches,
such as humans, animals, rain, earthquakes, and more.

Avalanche in the Himalayas→


The Science
Avalanches need three things: snow, a sloped surface, and a
trigger. A weak layer in the snowpack, caused by ice or faceted
crystals can also contribute. The failure layer is the layer that will
collapse and cause the rest of the snow to fall with it.
Their Impact
Avalanches are a threat to humans, they cause injury and
death from suffocation, trauma, and hypothermia. They can also
cause the death of animals, and can damage or remove trees.
Location
Avalanches happen in North America and Europe most of the
time, but more specifically they can occur anywhere with a steep
enough slope and a snowpack.
The History
The first ever documented avalanche was in 1781 in Canada. It
had killed 22 people. The largest ever avalanche was the 1970
Huascaran debris avalanche in peru. It is estimated that it killed
anywhere from 22,000 to 30,000 people. It was triggered by an
earthquake.
Facts
● Avalanches can move up to 200 mph.
● Mountains and slopes have specific paths for avalanches.
● 90 percent of avalanches are triggered by people.
● When an avalanche stops, the settled snow will feel like
concrete.
● An avalanche happened in Iran.
Works Cited
https://www.worldatlas.com/natural-disasters/deadliest-avalanches-
in-history.html

https://dosomething.org/article/11-facts-about-avalanches

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/avalanche/

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