Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Dynamic and geomorphic characterizations of the Mocoa debris flow (March 31, 2017, Putumayo Department, southern Colombia)

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

Abstract

On the night of March 31, 2017, a rainfall-induced landslide event with more than 600 shallow landslides was triggered in Mocoa (Putumayo Department, southern Colombia). These landslides and the subsequent Mocoa Debris Flow (MDF) event caused, according to data published from the Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (UNGRD, disaster risk management government agency), a catastrophic aftermath where 333 people were killed (including at least 118 children), 398 people were injured, and 76 people are still missing. In order to unravel the kinematic aspects of the MDF formation and the geomorphic setting which conditioned debris flow and landslide formation, high-resolution drone and satellite imagery, geomorphic indices, landslide inventory, and rainfall data from the event were analyzed. Flow discharge and velocity calculations associated to the MDF were calculated using three different methodologies which showed that the flow acquired a volume of ~ 2.6 × 106 m3 and an average velocity of 8–12 m/s, while the landslides developed in the Taruca, Taruquita, Mulato, and Sangoyaco basins contributed an estimated volume of about 298,000 m3. A landslide volume of about 3.44 × 106 m3 of material was calculated, from which less than 10% feed the MDF. Heavy rainfall and antecedent rainfalls were the triggering factors associated to shallow landslides developed on granitic rocks from the Mocoa monzogranite. Mass movements developed in residual soils from sedimentary rocks are more related to poor vegetation cover and intense anthropic activity such as extensive farming and deforestation. The recent activity of La Tebaida–Mocoa Fault and exhumation of the Mocoa monzogranite are considered as the main contributors to hillslope instability and landslide susceptibility. An active tectonic mountain front, steep slopes, and high drainage gradients are common at the study basins and are the key features controlling erosion and sedimentation rates. In this document, a brief introduction to the climatic, geological, and geomorphological characteristics of the involved basins and kinematic behavior of the MDF are presented.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Behling R (2017) Landslide and debris flow detection—Mocoa, Colombia. GFZ Potsdam, https://disasterscharter.org/documents/10180/564243/Mocoa-Landslide-map. Accessed 1 May 2017

  • Borrelli L, Ciurleo M, Gullà G (2018) Shallow landslide susceptibility assessment in granitic rocks using GIS-based statistical methods: the contribution of the weathering grade map. Landslides 15(6):1127–1142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-0947-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bull WB (2007) Tectonic geomorphology of mountains: a new approach to paleosiesmology. Blackwell publishing, MA

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bull WB, McFadden LD (1977) Tectonic geomorphology north and south of the Garlock fault, California. In: Doehring DO (ed) Geomorphology in arid regions. Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Geomorphology Symposium. State University of New York, Binghamton, pp 115–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Burbank DW, Leland J, Fielding E, Anderson RS, Brozovic N, Reid MR, Duncan C (1996) Bedrock incision, rock uplift and threshold hillslopes in the northwestern Himalayas. Nature 379:505–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cannon PJ (1976) Generation of explicit parameters for a quantitative geomorphic study of Mill Creek drainage basin. Oklahoma Geol Notes 36(1):3–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng D, Cui Y, Su F, Jia Y, Choi CE (2018) The characteristics of the Mocoa compound disaster event, Colombia. Landslides 15(6):1223–1232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-0969-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chigira M, Mohamad Z, Sian LC, Komoo I (2011) Landslides in weathered granitic rocks in Japan and Malaysia. Bull Geol Soc Malaysia 57:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coussot P, Meunier M (1996) Recognition, classification and mechanical description of debris flows. Earth Sci Rev 40(3–4):209–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui P, Zhou GD, Zhu XH, Zhang JQ (2013) Scale amplification of natural debris flows caused by cascading landslide dam failures. Geomorphology 182:173–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dearman WR (1974) Weathering classification in the characterisation of rock for engineering purposes in British practice. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 9:33–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02635301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durgin PB (1977) Landslides and the weathering of granitic rocks. Geol Soc Am Rev Eng Geol 3:127–131

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Hamdouni R, Irigara C, Fernández T, Chacón J, Keller EA (2008) Assessment of relative active tectonics, southwest border of Sierra Nevada (southern Spain). Geomorphology 96:150–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.08.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gómez J, Montes N, Nivia A, Diederix H (2015) Mapa Geológico de Colombia. Escala 1:1000000, Servicio Geológico Colombiano, Bogotá

  • Hack JT (1973) Stream-profiles analysis and stream-gradient index. J Res U S Geol Surv 1(4):421–429

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungr O, Leroueil S, Picarelli L (2014) The Varnes classification of landslide types, an update. Landslides 11(2):167–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ietto F, Perri F, Cella F (2016) Geotechnical and landslide aspects in weathered granitoid rock masses (Serre Massif, southern Calabria, Italy). Catena 145:301–315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2016.06.027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ietto F, Perri F, Cella F (2017) Weathering characterization for landslides modeling in granitoid rock masses of the Capo Vaticano promontory (Calabria, Italy). Landslides 15(1):1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-017-0860-5

    Google Scholar 

  • Irfan TY, Dearman WR (1978) The engineering petrography of a weathered granite in Cornwall, England. Q J Eng Geol 11:223–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaramillo L, Escovar R, Vesga CJ (1980) Edades K/Ar en rocas con alteración hidrotermal asociadas al sistema de pórfido de cobre y molibdeno de Mocoa, Intendencia del Putumayo, Colombia. Geologia Norandina 1:11–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Korup O (2004) Geomorphic implications of fault zone weakening: slope instability along the Alpine Fault, South Westland to Fiordland. N Z J Geol Geophys 47(2):257–267. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.2004.9515052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korup O (2006) Rock-slope failure and the river long profile. Geology 34(1):45–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kothyari GC, Rastogi BK, Morthekai P, Dumka RK, Kandregula RS (2015) Active segmentation assessment of the tectonically active South Wagad Fault in Kachchh, Western Peninsular India. Geomorphology 253:491–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.10.029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lacerda WA (2007) Landslide initiation in saprolite and colluvium in southern Brazil: field and laboratory observations. Geomorphology 87(3):104–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.03.037

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Núñez A (2003) Reconocimiento geológico regional de las planchas 411 La Cruz, 412 San Juan de Villalobos, 430 Mocoa, 431 Piamonte, 448 Monopamba, 449 Orito y 465 Churuyaco. Memoria explicativa, Escala 1:100.000, INGEOMINAS, Bogotá, 259 pp.

  • Ouimet W, Whipple K, Royden L, Sun Z, Chen Z (2007) The influence of large landslides on river incision in a transient landscape: eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (Sichuan, China). GSA Bull 119(11–12):1462–1476

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palacios D, Garcia R, Rubio V, Vigil R (2003) Debris flows in a weathered granitic massif: Sierra de Gredos, Spain. Catena 51(2):115–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0341-8162(02)00094-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Peña JV, Azor A, Azañón JM, Keller EA (2010) Active tectonics in the Sierra Nevada (Betic Cordillera, SE Spain): insights from geomorphic indices and drainage pattern analysis. Geomorphology 119:74–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2010.02.020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pike RJ, Wilson SE (1971) Elevation-relief ratio, hypsometric integral and geomorphic area-altitude analysis. Geol Soc Am Bull 82:1079–1083

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramírez-Herrera MT (1998) Geomorphic assessment of active tectonics in the Acambay Graben, Mexican volcanic belt. Earth Surf Process Landf 23:317–332. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-9837(199804)23:4<317::AID-ESP845>3.0.CO;2-V

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roda-Boluda D, D’Arcy M, McDonald J, Whittaker C (2018) Lithological controls on hillslope sediment supply: insights from landslide activity and grain size distributions. Earth Surf Process Landf 43(5):956–977. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC) (2018a) Caracterización del movimiento en masa tipo flujo del 31 de marzo de 2017 en Mocoa-Putumayo, Bogotá, pp 84

  • Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC) (2018b) Amenaza por movimientos en masa tipo flujo de las cuencas de las quebradas Taruca, Taruquita, San Antonio y El Carmen y los ríos Mulato y Sangoyaco, municipio de Mocoa, escala 1:5.000. Bogotá, pp 108

  • Sillitoe RH, Jaramillo L, Damon PE, Shafiqullah M, Escovar R (1982) Setting, characteristics, and age of the Andean porphyry copper belt in Colombia. Econ Geol 77:1837–1850. https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.77.8.1837

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi T (2014) Debris flow: mechanics, prediction and countermeasures, 2nd edn. Taylor & Francis Group, London 563 pp

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Velandia F, Acosta J, Terraza R, Villegas H (2005) The current tectonic motion of the Northern Andes along the Algeciras Fault System in SW Colombia. Tectonophysics 399:313–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu MD, Feng QH (1979) Roughness of debris flows. Proceeding of the first conference of Chinese research of debris flows 51–52

  • Yang ZN (1985) Preliminary study on the flowing velocity of viscous debris flows due to intense rainfall. Research of debris flows, Proceeding of the Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology and Cryopedology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. No. 4. Science Press, Beijing

  • Zapata S, Cardona A, Jaramillo C, Valencia V, Vervoort J (2016) U-Pb LA-ICP-MS geochronology and geochemistry of Jurassic volcanic and plutonic rocks from the Putumayo region (Southern Colombia): tectonic setting and regional correlations. Bol Geol 38(2):21–38

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Servicio Geológico Colombiano for their economic support and technical assistance on the Mocoa project (Project 1000637). We also acknowledge the team from the Grupo de Evaluación de Amenaza por Movimientos en masa (Mass movement hazard assessment work group) and Corpoamazonía for their support during field survey and for providing high-resolution imagery, as well as people of Mocoa city who guided us and provided evidence and witness reports for this work. We would like to thank also an anonymous reviewer for the critical comments and suggestions which improved the quality of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio Geológico Colombiano, Grupo de evaluación de amenazas por movimientos en masa, Diagonal 53 No. 34-53, Bogota, Colombia

    Helbert García-Delgado, Silvia Machuca & Enif Medina

Authors
  1. Helbert García-Delgado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Silvia Machuca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Enif Medina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helbert García-Delgado.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

García-Delgado, H., Machuca, S. & Medina, E. Dynamic and geomorphic characterizations of the Mocoa debris flow (March 31, 2017, Putumayo Department, southern Colombia). Landslides 16, 597–609 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-01121-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-01121-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation