Flooding and landslides on the Island of Madeira.

At least 38 people have been killed on the Portuguese island of Madeira after severe rainstorms caused flooding and landslides.

Madeira received a months worth of rain in less than eight hours.
Cars were buried, buildings damaged and people swept along in raging waters which swept through the capital, Funchal, on Saturday.

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Madeira, located about 900km (560 miles) from the Portuguese mainland, is popular with foreign tourists. 

Links @

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8527589.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8529239.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/02/20/portugal.mudslide/?hpt=T2 

Italian Landslide 16th Feb 2010

A spectacular landslide was caught on camera in the Southern Italian town of Maierato.
It is believe heavy rain may have propogated the slide, which seems to be a translational earthslide.
The 200 or so residents were able to evacute the area and even though the slide passed through the town there were no injuries.

 

USGS http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/