Two-phase strategy for rapid and unbiased assessment of earthquake-induced landslides

Co-seismic landslides can cause devastating consequences in seismically active mountainous regions. Rapid assessment of co-seismic landslides is essential in effective emergency response. A dilemma that hinders the assessment is the presence of a significant bias, either overestimating or underestimating the actual landslide hazard. To overcome this dilemma, this paper proposes a two-phase strategy that involves constructing a hierarchical Bayesian model augmenting data from a new earthquake with historical co-seismic landslide inventories. Our findings demonstrate that even with limited and evenly distributed co-seismic data from the new earthquake, it is possible to achieve an unbiased and accurate assessment. The two-phase strategy can facilitate the rapid and unbiased assessment of co-seismic landslides, thereby informing policy-making and resource allocation. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.