A sudden, large amount of snow and ice falling down a mountain or a large amount of something suddenly coming or occurring.
Examples:
Two people survived being swept up in an avalanche.Rescuers worked tirelessly after the avalanche struck.The village was buried under a sudden avalanche of snow.
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Landslide
/ˈlændslaɪd/
A large mass of earth and rock moving downward on a slope
Examples:
The earthquake triggered a landslide.Votes poured in, predicting a landslide victory.Heavy rains caused a landslide on the mountain trail.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
Landslides involve the movement of rock, earth, or debris down a slope, usually due to heavy rain or erosion.
Avalanches specifically involve snow and ice cascading down a mountain or slope.
Landslides can occur in any terrain that's susceptible to erosion, while avalanches occur in snow-covered regions.
Landslides can happen as a result of human activity, like construction or deforestation, whereas avalanches are often caused by natural elements like heavy snowfall or warming temperatures.
Vehicles and buildings are more likely to be impacted by landslides due to their terrain occurrence, while skiers and hikers are common victims of avalanches.