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Climatic effect of ENSO associated with landslide occurrence in the Central Andes, Mendoza Province, Argentina

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Abstract

Temporal distribution of landslides can be verified by means of climatic anomalies linked to the ENSO phenomenon. An increasing number of landslides triggered by rainfall have been recorded during warm episodes (El Niño) in the Cordillera Frontal, and a decreasing number during cold episodes (La Niña), concluding that this geological province is mainly influenced by the Pacific Anticyclone. However, slope instability in the Precordillera, located east of the Cordillera Frontal, seems to be mainly influenced by the Atlantic Anticyclone. Analysis of variance shows that there is no significant difference between landslide records and cold-warm episodes, and a higher number of landslides were recorded in years linked to wet periods than during dry periods. Furthermore, the precipitation threshold value associated with landslide occurrence and antecedent precipitation are analysed.

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Acknowledgements

I especially want to thank Ricardo Villalba for his continuous assistance and critical review of the original paper. I am grateful to Robert Schuster for useful comments and to N. Horak for checking the English version. This research was funded by a research grant from the CONICET (National Council of Scientific and Technological Research) and a grant from the Antorchas Foundation (Res. 48/2003)

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  1. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales (IANIGLA), CRICYT, CONICET, Av. Dr Ruiz Leal s/n. Parque (5500), Mendoza, Argentina, Casilla Correo, 330

    Stella M. Moreiras

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Correspondence to Stella M. Moreiras.

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Moreiras, S.M. Climatic effect of ENSO associated with landslide occurrence in the Central Andes, Mendoza Province, Argentina. Landslides 2, 53–59 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-005-0046-4

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