Last Sunday, April 25, 2010 a major landslide covered a 300-m plus stretch of Taiwan’s National Freeway No. 3, killing at least 4 people and burying three cars and destroying a bridge. The estimated volume of the slide is 200,000 cubic meters (262,000 C.Y.). [Photo by Reuters]

The failure mode appears to be a dip-slope type failure, possibly as shallow as 20-degrees and according to the MSNBC article, the failure was preceded by “days of rain” so the slope was likely at least partially saturated.

From Google Earth photos seen at Dave’s Landslide Blog, it appears the failure occurred on an engineered cut slope. And a Taiwan News article indicated that there were some kind of anchors stabilizing the slope, but there were comments regarding possible corrosion and age of the ground anchors. Likely the investigation into the failure will center around this issue.

Initial rescue efforts consisted of some 45 excavators and 800 people. The search and rescue efforts continue and as-of Thursday 4/29, four bodies had been recovered.

Additional Info and Links

• The mechanism of the Highway 3 landslide in Taiwan - Dave's Landslide Blog
• Taiwan Landslide Blog Posts by Dr. Dave - Dave's Landslide Blog
  This is a link to Dr. Dave's blog posts tagged with 'Taiwan', which should include the handful of posts he's done so far and anything new that he adds.
• Landslide buries highway travelers in Taiwan - msnbc.com
• Dip slopes and anchors suspected in freeway landslide - Taiwan News Online
• Rescuers searching for landslide victims - Radio Taiwan International
• Taiwan Massive Landslide Buries 6-Lane Freeway - Fire Earth
• Rescue workers find car license plate in landslide - Taiwan News Online
  Some pretty remarkable pictures in this article.
• Taiwan landslide buries cars [Video] - Reuters.com
• Four bodies recovered from landslide - Taipei Times
• Landslide highlights urgency of geological proposal - Taipei Times
  'The massive landslide on the Formosa Freeway (National Freeway No. 3) that killed at least four people has brought home the urgency of passing a geological bill, as lawmakers across party lines yesterday voiced support for the draft act that would allow the government to survey and publish data about geologically sensitive areas nationwide.'
• Task force to check cause of freeway landslide - Focustaiwan.tw

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