Review the description of types of mass-wasting events in your textbook and the following website: Mass Wasting. Then, using the Internet find and describe a specific example of a mass-wasting event that caused loss of life. For this event, write a short essay about your findings and be sure to include the following information:
1. When and where it occurred.
2. The type of event it represents.
3. The death or casualty toll.
4. The economic toll (if available)
5. The cause of the event.
6. Possible ways it could have been prevented or the death toll lessened.
Include a photo, or photos, of the event in your post. Don’t forget to attribute the source of your information.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Solution
Sample Solution
Essay: The Oso Landslide: A Devastating Mass-Wasting Event
Oso Landslide Source: Seattle Times https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/landslide-devastation-in-osos-darrington-area-may-be-among-worst-in-state-history/
When and where it occurred: The Oso Landslide occurred on March 22, 2014, in Oso, Washington, United States. Oso is a small rural community located in Snohomish County, approximately 55 miles northeast of Seattle.
The type of event it represents: The Oso Landslide was a catastrophic and deadly debris flow event, specifically a type of mass-wasting known as a rotational slide. It involved the sudden and rapid movement of a mass of saturated soil, debris, and trees down a steep slope.
The death or casualty toll: Tragically, the Oso Landslide resulted in a significant loss of life. The disaster claimed the lives of 43 individuals, including men, women, and children, who were in the path of the debris flow. Rescue and recovery efforts were arduous due to the immense scale of the landslide and the difficulties in accessing the affected area.
The economic toll (if available): The economic toll of the Oso Landslide was substantial. The damage caused by the landslide included the destruction of houses, infrastructure, and the disruption of essential services. The estimated economic impact of the disaster reached approximately $60 million, accounting for the costs associated with rescue and recovery operations, rebuilding efforts, and compensation for affected property owners.
The cause of the event: The Oso Landslide was primarily triggered by a combination of heavy rainfall and geologic factors. The region experienced prolonged precipitation in the months leading up to the event, saturating the soil and increasing its susceptibility to failure. The area’s geology, characterized by unconsolidated sediments, clay-rich soils, and a history of previous landslides, played a significant role in the occurrence of the landslide.
Possible ways it could have been prevented or the death toll lessened: While it is challenging to prevent natural disasters entirely, several measures could have potentially lessened the impact of the Oso Landslide:
Improved monitoring and early warning systems: Implementing comprehensive monitoring systems to detect ground movement and rainfall patterns could have provided early warning signs of potential landslide activity, allowing for evacuation measures to be taken.
Land-use planning and regulations: Strict land-use planning regulations and zoning restrictions could have limited or prevented the development of high-risk areas prone to landslides, reducing exposure to such hazards.
Engineering solutions: The implementation of engineering measures, such as slope stabilization techniques and retaining walls, could have helped stabilize the slope and reduce the risk of catastrophic failure.
Public awareness and education: Raising public awareness about the risks associated with living in landslide-prone areas and providing education on safety measures during periods of heightened landslide risk could have potentially saved lives.
In conclusion, the Oso Landslide in 2014 serves as a tragic example of a mass-wasting event that resulted in significant loss of life and economic impact. The combination of heavy rainfall, geological factors, and the vulnerability of the area contributed to the catastrophic nature of the landslide. While prevention of such events is challenging, efforts such as improved monitoring systems, land-use planning, engineering solutions, and public education can help mitigate the risks associated with mass-wasting events and potentially reduce the death toll.
