The nocturnal occurrence of debris flows: evidence from western China
Abstract Debris flow is a major hazard in mountainous areas, with a suspected tendency to occur at night. However, there is a lack of direct evidence supporting the nocturnal occurrence of debris flows. This study confirms the nocturnal occurrence using two independent datasets. Dataset 1 includes 2...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | npj Natural Hazards |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44304-025-00114-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Abstract Debris flow is a major hazard in mountainous areas, with a suspected tendency to occur at night. However, there is a lack of direct evidence supporting the nocturnal occurrence of debris flows. This study confirms the nocturnal occurrence using two independent datasets. Dataset 1 includes 295 post-disaster events across nine provinces in western China, showing 74.9% occurred at night. This supports the general impression that debris flows are more likely to occur at night across China. Dataset 2 consists of 286 debris-flow events from the field observation at Jiangjia Ravine (Yunnan, China) from 1965 to 2023. For the Dataset 2, the frequency of occurrence at night reaches 58.4% and is statistically significant at the 95% confidence interval. This long-term observational record provides direct evidence for the nocturnal occurrence of debris flows. This study provides solid evidence for the nocturnal occurrence of debris flows, aiding risk mitigation strategies. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2948-2100 |