On 30 September 2009, numerous landslides occurred in a mountain-ringed region of West Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered by an earthquake off the coast of Padang. The landslides blocked roads in the region, hindering efforts to determine the extent of the damage. Analyses of satellite images (coverage area 1,500 km2) of the most severely damaged districts, Padang Pariaman and Agam, revealed that 253 landslides had occurred. Severe landslides, involving more than 1 million m3 of collapsed sediment, were observed at 10 sites within the study area.
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