The mass wasting episode associated to the 1888 snowstorms in the Asturian Massif (Northwestern Spain)

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Published: Mar 18, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21138/bage.2515

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Cristina García-Hernández
Departamento de Geografía Universidad de Oviedo (España)
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3003-9128
Jesús Ruiz-Fernández
Departamento de Geografía Universidad de Oviedo (España)
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7161-3320
Marc Oliva
Centro de Estudos Geográficos Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal)
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6521-6388
David Gallinar
Departamento de Geografía Universidad de Oviedo (España)
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3643-2660

Abstract

This paper analyzes an episode of 36 mass movements triggered during the 1888 blizzard. In the Asturian Massif this blizzard consisted in four consecutive snowstorms that happened between 14th February and 8th April 1888, generating snow accumulations with a depth ranging 2-9 m. Historical documents, fieldwork and testimonies to the contemporary residents, have allowed to reconstruct this episode; in 27 events the typology of movement has been defined, and the landslide was the most common one. Several factors as the lithology of the substratum, the steep topography of the Asturian Massif high areas, and ground alterations because of the anthropic action, were the main determinants. Nevertheless, the water supplies originated from the snowmelt seems to be the main causal agent of this episode, in which 28 events were responsible for material damage as well as great delays in communications, and one rockfall caused the death of one person.



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How to Cite
García-Hernández, C., Ruiz-Fernández, J., Oliva, M., & Gallinar, D. (2018). The mass wasting episode associated to the 1888 snowstorms in the Asturian Massif (Northwestern Spain). Boletín De La Asociación Española De Geografía, (76), 52-78. https://doi.org/10.21138/bage.2515

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