Maine’s Landslide History

The images out of Washington State are tough to see as people continue to search for the missing under massive piles of mud and debris following last weekend's devastating landslide.

The state of Maine has experienced landslides as well which have resulted in extensive property damage.

Even though a lot of ledge exists in Maine, there are still areas of the state more prone to possible landslides.

Robert Marvinney, Geologist with the State Geological Survey, says landslides in Maine generally happen in areas where there's a dense concentration of marine clay.

One of the more memorable landslides to happen in Maine was back in 1996 in the city of Rockland. The posted picture above shows some of the massive structural damage caused in that slide.

State geologists work with the Maine Emergency Management Agency to provide information on any potential hazards, but Marvinney says while it's possible to identify fragile areas, it's still impossible to predict when a landslide will occur.