Causes of Recurring Landslides in Loess Plateau, Shaanxi Province, China

The occurrence of landslides is a recurring problem in the Southern Plateau, Jingyang County, Shaanxi Province, China. More than forty landslides with different scale and type were formed since the 1970s, distributing along the 27 km loess plateau border. The slopes continue to retreat from the loess plateau border, which threatens the villages and agricultural activities in the vicinity. This paper outlines the features of the landslides along the loess plateau border, with an emphasis on landslides with long run-out distance. The study reveals that the main reason behind the frequent landslides is the rise of groundwater level due to irrigation on the loess plateau surface.