A massive landslide forced several residents in upstate New York to evacuate and leave their homes dangling dangerously close to the edge of a cliff on May 3.
Numerous picture was taken of the area in Waterford, which is located about 11 miles northeast of Albany. The pictures showed trees uprooted, much of a driveway was totally destroyed and one home was just inches away from falling into the large crater. The authorities were told 150 feet of land slid into the crater and that there is concern that more land will continue to fall.
Massive landslide
Drone footage of the site captured images of the scene on May 3 and even though the property remained intact for most of the incident, it was left very close to the edge after the landslip was estimated to be around 150 feet to 200 feet. The cops were immediately called to assist the Waterford Fire Department in assessing the extent of the landslide without anyone having to enter the slide area physically for safety reasons.
One man whose grandparents live in the area and were evacuated said that around 3:30 pm, they began to feel trembling and they heard the creaking of trees. He told News 10 that what he found scary about the whole ordeal was that there was no warning, the landslide happened fast.
Another man who lived in the area had to be helped out of his home because the trees had fallen on the path of his driveway. The authorities flew the drone in the area after they arrived so that they could keep a safe distance from the landslide that saw seven homes off Middletown Rd. in Waterford, Saratoga, evacuated.
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The other properties in the area were just 12 feet away from the house that was pictured by the Sheriff's Office UAS Team. In total, there were 12 people who were displaced and sent to shelters for temporary residence. Fortunately, there were no injuries or loss of structures reported.
Authorities placed stakes in the ground to help them monitor the area which was still moving as of Sunday. There are now only three homes that remained evacuated on May 4 after the residents were told that they could return.
Authorities still haven't reported a reason for the landslide, but Waterford Fire Chief Donald Baldwin called the location of the landslide as a gravel pit. Baldwin told CNN that it had the potential for significant injuries, but there are none.
Chief Baldwin explained that the authorities will be monitoring the site regularly. The town will be evaluating the landslide to see if it continues and assessment of the damage will be made and they will monitor any potential repeat of the incident.
Landslides in the United States
Landslides happen in all 50 states in America, but regions like the Rocky Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains, and the Pacific Coastal Rangers are recorded to have severe landslide problems according to the USGS. The agency also lists Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, and Hawaii as landslide-prone states.
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