What happens to rivers after earthquakes?

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. What happens to rivers after earthquakes? Large earthquakes can cause huge devastation in mountains by triggering landslides. But what happens to the rocks, mud and sand when the shaking stops? New research by the Department of Geography answers this question as Dr Bob Hilton explains. What did you find in your research? In the months to years that follow an earthquake, rocks and sediment moved by landslides can still cause serious issues, filling rivers and causing more widespread damage. Our research examined this in detail following the devastating 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, which triggered more than 57,150 landslides in the Longmen Shan mountains in Sichuan in China.