Okinawa being surrounded by water on all sides, the island
is constantly being weathered or decayed. “Okinawa
receives on average 2223 mm (87.5 in) of precipitation annually or 185 mm (7.3
in) per month” according to www.naha.climatemps.com. Okinawa is constantly hit by typhoons from
May to September, with wind speeds up to 80 miles per hour and rain will fall
upwards of 3 inches during a typhoon, which by experience, lasts about 48-72
hours. This video, courtesy of a United States Marine, is a demonstration of the rain storms that hit the island. Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KesHucq9jfY&feature=related
The heavy rainfall, due to the typhoons, on Okinawa causes landslides, a form of mass wasting, frequently on the island of Okinawa. The heavy rainfall falls on the sub-tropical island with a permeable surface, the rain soaks into the soil and surface moving the surface down the slopes due to gravity. The picture below demonstrates a landslide on Okinawa. Source: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20060617b2.html. This mass wasting slide is most likely an example of a translation slide due to a weakness in the slope. Landslides and mudslides are common on the island and it is not uncommon for the debris to flow onto the roads, taking hours to clean up the debris.
Mass
wasting, as an example of breaking down Okinawa's landscape, affects the people
on the island of Okinawa. During the rainy months of May to September,
businesses are constantly shut down due to owners not being able to get to work, except the United States Marines, who work
no matter rain or shine. Below is a picture of a restaurant right outside
of Camp Schwab where we would go for a quick bite to eat, usually Taco Rice, one time we
couldn't make it there due to a rock slide. And the only thing more
violent than a Marine is a hungry Marine.
Photo source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=278023222315020&set=a.252891318161544.57049.245388688911807&type=1&theater
