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-  Landslide Hazards Program 
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#           Puerto Rico Landslide Hazard Mitigation Project      

  Active

      By Landslide Hazards Program      June 5, 2020    

            -              Overview           
            -              Science           
            -              Data           
            -              Publications           

The University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez and USGS produced a landslide hazard map for the main island of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. This map is today used by planners for land use decisions and emergency managers for hazard mitigation plans. To reduce loss from future landslides, the USGS and the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez instrumented 15 slopes across the main island and share near real-time data with emergency managers and the public.  

## Science

Following the passage of Hurricane Maria on September 2017, The University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, along with USGS scientists produced a detailed landslide inventory and hazard map for the main island. Mapping revealed over 70,000 landslides triggered by the hurricane’s intense rainfall. These maps were published and are used by Puerto Rico planning department for land use planning and emergency management departments to develop hazard mitigation plans. Federal partners also used the landslide hazard maps for rebuilding efforts and avoid areas with associated landslide hazards.  

Based on extensive field observations, USGS and the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez instrumented 15 slopes across the island to share near-real time hillslope hydrological conditions on public-facing webpages. Soil moisture, pore-water pressures, and soil properties strongly determine the propensity for landsliding, so knowledge of these conditions is critical to reducing risk and loss from landslide hazards. 

View Media Details

## Public Outreach

The USGS and the Natural Hazards Center partnered with the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez to develop outreach materials on landslide hazards and shared resources and interdisciplinary expertise with a broad range of counterparts in Puerto Rico.  

Go to the Puerto Rico Landslide Mitigation Project website.

View Media Details

link

January 30, 2023

####                 Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

link

January 30, 2023

####   Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network

Learn More

October 16, 2023

####                 Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in two study areas in the Las Marías Municipality, Puerto Rico              

Geologic Hazards Science Center

June 1, 2021

####                 Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in a section of Naranjito, Puerto Rico              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Hurricane Maria

May 20, 2021

####                 Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in three study areas in the Lares Municipality, Puerto Rico              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

December 11, 2019

####                 Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in four study areas of Puerto Rico              

Landslide Hazards Program

June 30, 2020

####                 Mobility characteristics of landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities, Hurricane Maria, Hurricanes

March 16, 2020

####                 Map depicting susceptibility to landslides triggered by intense rainfall, Puerto Rico              

Landslides in Puerto Rico range from nuisances to deadly events. Centuries of agricultural and urban modification of the landscape have perturbed many already unstable hillsides on the tropical island. One of the main triggers of mass wasting on the island is the high-intensity rainfall that is associated with tropical atmospheric systems. Puerto Rico’s geographic position and rugged topography re

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

The University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez and USGS produced a landslide hazard map for the main island of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. This map is today used by planners for land use decisions and emergency managers for hazard mitigation plans. To reduce loss from future landslides, the USGS and the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez instrumented 15 slopes across the main island and share near real-time data with emergency managers and the public.  

## Science

Following the passage of Hurricane Maria on September 2017, The University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, along with USGS scientists produced a detailed landslide inventory and hazard map for the main island. Mapping revealed over 70,000 landslides triggered by the hurricane’s intense rainfall. These maps were published and are used by Puerto Rico planning department for land use planning and emergency management departments to develop hazard mitigation plans. Federal partners also used the landslide hazard maps for rebuilding efforts and avoid areas with associated landslide hazards.  

Based on extensive field observations, USGS and the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez instrumented 15 slopes across the island to share near-real time hillslope hydrological conditions on public-facing webpages. Soil moisture, pore-water pressures, and soil properties strongly determine the propensity for landsliding, so knowledge of these conditions is critical to reducing risk and loss from landslide hazards. 

View Media Details

## Public Outreach

The USGS and the Natural Hazards Center partnered with the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez to develop outreach materials on landslide hazards and shared resources and interdisciplinary expertise with a broad range of counterparts in Puerto Rico.  

Go to the Puerto Rico Landslide Mitigation Project website.

View Media Details

link

January 30, 2023

####                 Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

link

January 30, 2023

####   Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network

Learn More

October 16, 2023

####                 Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in two study areas in the Las Marías Municipality, Puerto Rico              

Geologic Hazards Science Center

June 1, 2021

####                 Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in a section of Naranjito, Puerto Rico              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Hurricane Maria

May 20, 2021

####                 Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in three study areas in the Lares Municipality, Puerto Rico              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

December 11, 2019

####                 Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in four study areas of Puerto Rico              

Landslide Hazards Program

June 30, 2020

####                 Mobility characteristics of landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities, Hurricane Maria, Hurricanes

March 16, 2020

####                 Map depicting susceptibility to landslides triggered by intense rainfall, Puerto Rico              

Landslides in Puerto Rico range from nuisances to deadly events. Centuries of agricultural and urban modification of the landscape have perturbed many already unstable hillsides on the tropical island. One of the main triggers of mass wasting on the island is the high-intensity rainfall that is associated with tropical atmospheric systems. Puerto Rico’s geographic position and rugged topography re

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center