How impact of bad roads can be worse than an earthquake

Ten-year study of a town in Turkey showed poor construction caused more than 90% of landslips

Badly built roads can generate more hazard than a significant earthquake, research shows. Hakan Tanya, from the University of Twente in the Netherlands, and colleagues monitored the size and number of landslips in the Arhavi area of north-eastern Turkey between 2010 and 2020. During this period several roads were constructed through the region to access a new hydroelectric scheme.

The scientists show that development had a shocking impact on the stability of the hillsides, with road construction responsible for more than 90% of the observed landslips in the region.