A woman has died following a landslide on Ghizo Island in the Solomons on Tuesday 10 September 2019. The woman, described as a school teacher, was one of five people in a house in the town of Gizo that was destroyed by the landslide at about 7.00 am local time following heavy rain in the area. Landslides are a
common problem after severe weather, as excess
pore water pressure can overcome cohesion in soil and sediments,
allowing them to flow like liquids. Approximately 90% of all landslides
are caused by heavy rainfall. The woman's husband and daughter were also injured in the incident, but her two sons escaped unhurt. Several neighbouring properties were also damaged.
Landslide on Ghizo Island, the Solomons, on 10 September 2019. Radikol Teekay.
The Solomon Islands has a tropical climate, with a wet season that runs from November to April and a dry season that lasts from May to October. However the dry season is not completely arid, typically still receiving about 100 mm of rain per month, and this year has been exceptionally wet, with some of the heaviest rain ever recorded in the islands falling in the past week, and local authorities are warning there is a danger of further landslips and flooding.
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