Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characteristics of earthquake-induced landslides in a heavy snowfall region—landslides triggered by the northern Nagano prefecture earthquake, March 12, 2011, Japan

  • Recent Landslides
  • Published:
Landslides Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The northern Nagano Prefecture earthquake, MJMA 6.7 (Mw 6.2), which is inferred to have been triggered by the huge (Mw 9.0) March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake, occurred on March 12, 2011, in northern Nagano Prefecture, an area in Japan famous for heavy snowfall. A large number of landslides were triggered by the 12 March earthquake, and it caused building damage in the area of the epicenter. To clarify characteristics of the distribution and dynamic behavior of these landslides, we analyzed aerial photographs and conducted field surveys in and around the epicentral area. Large-scale landslides with long distance run-outs are a remarkable characteristic of the landslides induced by this earthquake. The long travel distance is considered to be related to the thick snowpack at the time the earthquake occurred. Moderate scale deep-seated landslides and shallow landslides were also observed in the study area. Based on an analysis of landslides with the active fault on which the earthquake is believed to have occurred, most of these landslides were distributed on the hanging wall of the active fault, within a distance of 12 km from the fault.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) (2007) Seamless digital geological map of Japan 1:200,000, Research Information Database DB084, Geologiocal Suryvey of Japan

  • AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) (2009) Active fault database of Japan, June 23, 2009 version. Research Information Database DB095, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology http://riodb02.ibase.aist.go.jp/activefault/index_e.html

  • Furumura T, Takemura S, Noguchi S et al (2011) Strong ground motions from the 2011 off-the Pacific-Coast of Tohoku, Japan (Mw = 9.0) earthquake obtained from a dense nationwide seismic network. Landslides 8:333–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GSI (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan) (2011) Crustal deformation accompanying with the 03:59, March 12, 2011 Northern Nagano Prefecture earthquake. http://www.gsi.go.jp/chibankansi/chikakukansi_naganohokubu.html

  • Hancox GT, Perrin ND, Dellow GD (2002) Recent studies of historical earthquake-induced landsliding, ground damage, and MM intensity in New Zealand. Bull N Z Soc Earthq Eng 35(2):59–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasi B, Ishii Y, Maruyama K et al (2011) Distribution and scale of landslides induced by recent reverse-fault earthquakes in Japan. J Japan Landslide Soc 48(1):23–38, in Japanese with English abstract

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion of Japan (2011) Earthquake near the border between Nagano and Niigata prefectures on March 12, 2011. http://www.jishin.go.jp/main/index-e.html

  • Hokushin Construction Office of Nagano Prefecture (2011) Disaster of northern Nagano earthquake (as of July 15, 2011). http://www.pref.nagano.jp/xdoboku/hokuken/15saigai/hisaijyoukyou%20H23.7.15.pdf (in Japanese)

  • Krinitzsky EL, Chang FK (1988) Intensity-related earthquake ground motions. Bull Assoc Eng Geol 25:425–435

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsuta N, Hirouchi D, Sugito N, Takeshita Y (2011) Surface deformation and damages caused by the Niigata–Nagano boundary earthquake. Symposium on behavior of inland active faults and seismicity/crustal movements associated with the 2011 Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake, Japanese Society of Active fault studies, 11–14 (in Japanese)

  • JMA (Japan Meteorology Agency) (2011) About the 03;59, March 12, 2012, Northern Nagano Prefecture earthquake (no. 2 report). http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/press/1103/12d/kaisetsu201103120800.pdf

  • Miyagi T, Higaki D, Yagi H et al (2011) Reconnaissance report on landslide disasters in northeast Japan following M9 Tohoku earthquake. Landslides 8:339–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niigata Prefecture (2011) About the damage of Northern Nagano earthquake occurred on March 12, 2011, Rep.25. http://www.pref.niigata.lg.jp/kikitaisaku/1306702833686.html (in Japanese)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Asia Air Survey, Co., Ltd, Kawasaki, Japan

    Baator Has, Kiichiro Ogawa & Satoshi Onoda

  2. Snow Avalanche and Landslide Research Center, PWRI, Myoko, Japan

    Tomoyuki Noro, Kiyoteru Maruyama & Akira Nakamura

Authors
  1. Baator Has
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tomoyuki Noro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kiyoteru Maruyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Akira Nakamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kiichiro Ogawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Satoshi Onoda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Baator Has.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Has, B., Noro, T., Maruyama, K. et al. Characteristics of earthquake-induced landslides in a heavy snowfall region—landslides triggered by the northern Nagano prefecture earthquake, March 12, 2011, Japan. Landslides 9, 539–546 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-012-0344-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-012-0344-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation