Week 8 - Mass Wasting in the Channel Islands - Matthew Babcock

Let's start with the basics - what even is mass wasting? 

Mass wasting is a term used to describe the movement of rock, soil, and other debris downhill under the influence of gravity. The Channel Islands are located in the English Channel and are indeed subject to various types of mass wasting events due to their steep slopes, high rainfall, and geological features among other things. 

Below I have included some examples of mass wasting events that have occurred in the British Channel Islands over the years:

The "Mont Cuet" landslide: This is one of the most significant landslides to have occurred in the Channel Islands. The Mont Cuet landslide occurred in 2014 on the island of Guernsey and involved the movement of over 3 million cubic meters of soil and rock. The landslide caused significant damage to the surrounding areas, including roads, houses, and gardens. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed in the event. The cause of the landslide is thought to be a combination of heavy rainfall and just the overall geological makeup of the area. 

Another example is The St. Catherine's Landslide: This landslide occurred in 2018 on the island of Jersey and involved the movement of over 2,000 tons of soil and rock. The landslide blocked a main road and caused significant disruption to traffic in the area. The cause of the landslide is thought to be heavy rainfall once again, which caused the soil and rock to become unstable and move downhill. 

Additionally, we have the Bonne Nuit Bay rockfall: In 2012, a large rockfall occurred at Bonne Nuit Bay in Jersey. The rockfall involved the movement of several large boulders, some of which weighed over 100 tons. The rockfall caused significant damage to the surrounding area, including the destruction of a nearby pier. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed in this event either. The cause of the rockfall is thought to be the erosion of the cliff face due to weathering and wave action. 

Finally we have the La Hougue Bie landslide: This landslide occurred in 2010 on the island of Jersey and involved the movement of over 100 tons of soil and rock. The landslide caused significant damage to a nearby road and resulted in the closure of the area to traffic for several weeks. The cause of the landslide is thought to be heavy rainfall, which caused the soil and rock to become unstable and move downhill.

These are just a few of the examples of mass wasting events that have occurred in the British Channel Islands throughout history. The islands are often subject to a range of mass wasting phenomena, including landslides, mudslides, and rockfalls, which can occur due to a variety of factors such as weathering, erosion, and human activity. Given this risk, I think it is important for residents and visitors of the islands to be aware of the risks associated with mass wasting events like the ones I discussed above and to take appropriate precautions to stay safe. Thanks for reading!

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands 

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/volcanoes/prehistoric-and-historic-eruptions.htm 

https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/earth-hazards/volcanoes/