Expanding data on landslides for safer land-use

Launched in October 2025, the newly upgraded New Zealand Landslide Database (NZLD) is viewable on a webmap that can be accessed by anyone looking for previously mapped landslides, primarily those triggered by significant rainfall and earthquake events - such as Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.

The original database was developed by GNS Science | Te Pū Ao, which has now been absorbed along with NIWA into Earth Sciences New Zealand, where a link to research on Landslides is grouped under Geological Hazards. 

The upgrade will eventually increase the number of landslides held in the current inventory from 23,000 to more than 500,000. It also includes landslide features with more consistent attributes to provide users with more information to inform land use decisions.

Key landslide attributes (where known) include:

  • type of landslide as defined by the style of its movement down a slope, e.g., fall, flow, slide

  • type of landslide triggering event, e.g. rainfall, earthquake

  • date of occurrence

  • activity type e.g., first time failure, reactivated

  • size category, e.g., small, medium, large, giant

In a news release on 7 October, it was noted that while some of the datasets are currently available through regional and local councils, the fully redeveloped webmap makes this information available in a single publicly accessible location accessed on a visually interactive platform and with a tutorial video on YouTube. The datasets have been quality-checked and meet the FAIR data principles.

It’s important to note that the database doesn’t include every landslide that’s ever occurred in Aotearoa New Zealand. Areas without mapped landslides may still be at risk of landslides and require further investigation.

A champion for increased knowledge about Landslides

Another notable information resource is driven by Ross Roberts at Landslides.nz In his role as Chief Engineer at Auckland Council, Ross has a keen interest in policy controls for risk management.

Wearing a New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS) hat, Ross has taken on the task of convening a major international conference on Landslide Risk Assessment, Communication and Geo-education in 2026. This event, LaRGE 2026, will take place in Queenstown from 27 April to 3 May.

Ross Roberts: “This event encompasses the need to educate the next generation of landslide risk managers, the need to robustly understand landslide risk, and the need to communicate that risk to the public and decision-makers so that real change is implemented. Landslides are one of New Zealand’s most significant natural hazards. More than 50% of the alpine land around Queenstown (for instance) is mapped as known landslides, with the underlying rock very susceptible to deep seated failures”.

In the news

  • Landslide mapping to be included on Auckland LIM reports from October - RNZ (July 2025)

  • Cyclone Gabrielle one of the most extreme landslide-triggering events globally - RNZ (August 2025)

Further References

Landslides, Science, #LandscapeExpandedStephen Olsen