Mass movements are defined as processes of erosion, transport and accumulation of material that occur on both gentle and steep slopes. These movements result in the levelling and forming of landscapes. While erosion can be a largely unseen process, storms can induce rapid movement of large volumes of soil and rock. Council holds long records of mass movement erosion events following storms. In Marlborough mass movement types that are commonly seen are soil slip, debris flow, debris avalanche and cliff collapse. While these are largely driven by heavy rainfall the other contributing factors include lack of vegetation, weak geology and influences from human land use.
