A landslide is the rapid movement of loose soil and rock down a slope. Landslides triggered by earthquake vibrations can sometimes result in great structural damage and a correspondingly large loss of life.

The tenth worst earthquake since 1900 occurred near Chimbote, Peru on May 31, 1970. The majority of the 70,000 fatalities from this earthquake occurred as a result of landslides triggered by the seismic waves. The village of Yungay, for example, was virtually destroyed in a matter of seconds by a massive landslide of rocks, soil, and ice from nearby Mt. Huascaran. Approximately 20,000 residents lost their lives, while only about 400 village residents survived.