The Earth Surface Processes Team Response
To Hurricane Mitch:
The Honduras Geologic Mapping Project

What is the Honduras Geologic Mapping Project?

During late October 1998, Hurricane Mitch released heavy amounts of rain as it passed over Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Reports indicate that up to 2 meters or more of rainfall during one week triggered widespread landsliding and flooding. Many of these landslides were probably debris flows that started on steep slopes and traveled long distances onto flatter terrain burying villages and disrupting roads and other lines of communication.

The United States Geological Survey, Eastern Region Earth Surface Processess Team has performed a preliminary interpretation of the geomorphology and landslide susceptibility of Honduras based on limited pre-Hurricane Mitch topographic and geologic information available from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) library. This assessment demonstrates an approach for providing scientific information that can focus well-informed decisions for relief and recovery efforts following the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Mitch in Central America. This assessment is only intended as an initial framework for such investigations; it is likely that more comprehensive scientific investigations will be conducted.

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