Appalachian Landslide Consultants, PLLC

09/22/2026

Who are the 'geologists' mentioned in this article? You guessed it, ALC!

We've helped the NC Geological Survey map over 12,000 landslides (and counting) triggered by Helene. Lidar change detection has been a game-changing tool for mapping.

In the days before Sept. 27, 2024, many mountain areas saw almost 20 inches of rainfall before more intense rain came with Helene.

08/30/2026

Best description of the Nepal debris flow out there. Thank you for this thorough explanation, Philip Prince. Grateful you're on the ALC team!

The Nepal rock and ice fall and resulting debris flow will go down ...

08/29/2026

⚠️⛰ Landslide Warning Signs: Do you know what to look and listen for?

If you suspect a landslide is in progress:

🚫 NEVER go outside to investigate!
✅ Escape vertically: Go upstairs or get on top of kitchen counters.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landslide Signs: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/what-are-signs-landslide-development-what-do-i-do-if-a-landslide-occurs

08/27/2026

Landslide? Stay Inside.
If you see or hear:
-Sudden heavy rainfall
-Snapping, knocking, or loud crashes
-Loose-moving soil or rocks
-Unexpected changes in streamflow
-New cracks, bulges, or water coming from hillsides

Act Quickly
-Escape vertically: Upstairs or on top of counters or sturdy furniture
-Protect your head

STAY INDOORS; do not go outside to investigate.

08/27/2026

⚠️It’s North Carolina Landslide Preparedness Week, and we’re sharing essential safety tips all week long.

🌧️5 inches or more of rain in 24 hours is enough to trigger landslides in the North Carolina mountains.

⛰Landslides can happen suddenly, giving you little time to react. Knowing if your home is in a landslide danger zone before heavy rain hits can save your life.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landslide Preparedness: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/landslide-preparedness-0

08/25/2026

There are many things you can do prior to landslide-triggering rain events. Two simple actions you can take are:

1) Clean out ditches and culverts so that stormwater will flow through them freely.

2) Extend your house downspouts/gutter drains so water is not flowing onto any fill slopes. Can you find the downspout in this photo?

Here's a link to more tips:

https://appalachianlandslide.com/how-to-avoid-landslide-hazards/

08/25/2026

It's Landslide Preparedness Week!

Do you know there are many types of landslides?
Do you know where you are on the landslide susceptibility maps?
Do you have an evacuation or shelter-in-place plan when heavy rains (~5" of rain in 24 hours) are in the forecast?

The US National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC office is partnering with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NC Emergency Management, and NC Dept of Environmental Quality to share safety and preparedness tips all week.

Here are some basic resources from ALC https://appalachianlandslide.com/what-are-landslides/

Haywood County Emergency Services
https://readyhaywood.com/landslides/

And links from the USGS:
Landslide Basics - https://www.usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/landslide-basics?fbclid=IwY2xjawT5u9lwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMXdDZmlHcXc5b3hYSXNFVnhzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEei9MX7GmPm5RKB3kOnHFdqdsbyYJXn4-AMHOvukBeYhRUyJ1X3WI6vNY-Rrk_aem_BVIHGPvUv6dmRMD6xQwDMg
Landslide Preparedness - https://www.usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/landslide-preparedness-0?fbclid=IwY2xjawT5vK1wZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMXdDZmlHcXc5b3hYSXNFVnhzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeS56W1T8kMNiPHmWEeS65OPSMUY2nIdNiVbfm2sHa9n-5T7dlc2TcpDO8WB4_aem_uEoLRCpFzevY3d1EfGAwUw

The term “landslide” includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes, and shallow debris flows (USGS). There are several types of landslides in whic…

08/24/2026

It's Landslide Preparedness Week! Keep an eye out for informative posts and links to resources to learn more about this natural (and sometimes human-triggered) hazard.

⛰ Did you know landslides can happen year-round in the North Carolina Mountains?

⚠️ It’s the first official North Carolina Landslide Preparedness Week! In partnership with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) NC Emergency Management and NC Dept of Environmental Quality we will be sharing essential safety and preparedness tips all week long to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Check out these resources from the USGS:

➡️ Landslide basics: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/landslide-basics

➡️ How to prepare: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/landslide-preparedness-0

08/11/2026

Being able to identify slow-moving landslides is important prior to developing land in order to protect roads, structures, and infrastructure. ALC geologist, Philip Prince, explains this in this video, and shows several examples of slow-moving slides we've mapped and evaluated over the years.

In the mountains of southern Appalachia, large chunks of ground are...

07/27/2026

Slow-moving landslides leave a unique shape in the topography. Read more about what these creeping features look like here:

While fast-moving debris flow landslides pose the most immediate risk to human life in the North Carolina Mountains, huge, slow-moving landslides also cause plenty of problems for property and infr…