Mechanism and movement process of the '2.8' rock avalanche in Junlian County, Southwest China
摘要
The Wumeng Mountain Area is located in the transitional zone between the Sichuan Basin and the Yungui Plateau and between the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau and the Qianzhong Mountainous Region. Widely distributed geological structural masses, characterized by gently inclined, interbedded sandstones, mudstones, and shales, are highly susceptible to geohazards. Rock avalanches triggered by the coupled effects of rainfall, earthquakes, and anthropogenic activities frequently occur. On February 8, 2025, a rock avalanche occurred in Jinping village, Junlian County, resulting in the tragic loss of 29 lives. To elucidate the disaster mechanisms and movement processes, field investigations, LiDAR mapping, and geological model analysis were conducted. The results indicate that the region is characterized by frequent moderate- to low-intensity earthquakes, strong weathering and unloading, historical mining activities, steep slopes with fractured rock structures and surface cracks; the development of loose deposits formed by terraced ancient landslides, rockfalls, alluvial deposits, and artificial accumulations at the base of the slope; and continuous rainfall triggering landslides and resulting in long-distance movement and deposition. Rock avalanches can be categorized into three types of disaster-related movement processes: slope rock mass instability and failure, cascading-scale amplification of scraping and plowing deposition bodies, and topography-constrained upheaval deposition. These findings provide reference data for analyzing the formation mechanisms and predicting the hazards of red-bedrock avalanches.