Could A Landslide Hit Your Western New York Home?

A Western New York family lost their vehicle and nearly their house when it started to slide down an embankment on Wednesday.

Around 4:30 PM on Wednesday, a man was relaxing at his home in Royalton, NY when he noticed that his truck had slid down the embankment leading to Tonawanda Creek and the backyard dropped “about 12 feet,” according to reporter Kayla Green on News 4. 

The homeowner was inside the house at the time of the incident. 

First responders are concerned that it will sink more as it continues to rain. 

Landslides are not necessarily common in New York State, but let it be known that they can happen in any state or territory in the United States. 

Landslides often occur in mountainous areas, like California, Washington, Oregon, and along the West Coast, but note that it did (and can) happen in Western New York. 

Thankfully, there are some indicating signs that can alert us to caution that a landslide may be developing. 

According to Oregon Geology, these are the warning signs to watch out for:

• House is making noises.
• The walls and floors feel tilted or begin to tilt.
• Cracks in the house are actively opening.
• You start to notice cracks in the ground.
• Water in the drainage starts to become irregular or just completely stops. 

If you notice any of these telling signs, you should go to a business that specializes in foundation repair for help.

According to Yelp, these are the best 10 places to turn to for foundation repair:

1. JMK Construction
2.  Brick James Masonry
3. Frank’s Basement Systems
4. Brick By Brick Masonry Restoration
5. Buffalo Foundation Repair
6. Frost Waterproofing and Repair
7. Dura-Tech Basement Waterproofing
8. Young Waterproofing
9. Utech Basement Waterproofing
10. I’m The Guy Basements

Landslides are more common by mountainous areas and bodies of water. The house on Tonawanda Creek Rd is an example of this – living by a creek or any body of water tends to make a structure more susceptible to a landslide, so if you live near one, just be cautious. It wouldn’t hurt to have someone examine your house to confirm that it is safe.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that in the United States, landslides will cause approximately “$1 billion in damages and from about 25 to 50 deaths each year,” so it is not something to be taken lightly if you have a hunch that your house is slipping.