A Study on the Correlation between Persistence of Rainfall and Frequency of Landslide Occurrence

Increasing incidences of landslides in Korea are endangering life and damaging property. To ascertain the cause of the rapid increase in landslides in 2020, this study analyzed the correlation between frequency of their occurrence and persistence of rainfall. The study area comprised seven areas in Gangwon-do, Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, and Chungcheongnam-do. The used rainfall factors were monthly rainfall in June, July, and August, rainfall during the summer (June-August), rainfall during the monsoon season, and number of precipitation days during the summer and during the monsoon season. The effect of these factors on landslides was identified by comparing them with the occurrence of landslides in the year of increased landslide occurrence in each area. The results confirmed that not only rainfall but also the number of precipitation days during the monsoon season affect the occurrence of landslides. The rapid increase in landslide occurrence in 2020 was attributed to increases in both the number of precipitation days during the monsoon season and rainfall during the monsoon season in 2020. These results are expected to be used as basic data for future landslide warning standards that consider the effect of the persistence of rainfall.