Houses were washed inland, or swept away. Apart from the deaths, many people lost their means of support through destruction of boats and fishing gear. Geologists believe that this earthquake was a rare event, and there are no other reports of earthquakes causing death or damage in Newfoundland. There have been many disasters caused by the steep slopes and rocky cliffs that are part of the landscape of many Newfoundland communities. The potential for landslides, rockfalls and avalanches are all dangers that exist in these areas.
Landslides happen when a saturated mass of soil moves down a steep slope.
They may occur very rapidly and can be very destructive. Many other landslides have occurred, often blocking roads. An avalanche happens when snow becomes unstable and slides down-hill. The best known avalanche happened in 1959, where five people were killed in the Battery, St. John's. A similar incident occurred in 1930 after a period of very heavy snow.