ABSTRACT
Poland is not particularly troubled by landslides; however, once they occur, they can be problematic. The Carpathian flysch deposits are the most landslide-prone; landslides develop along stratification surfaces of clay shales on slopes with gradients ranging between 5 and 100%, along faults and joint zones, and in weatherings. Within the Polish lowlands landslides develop on undercut scarps, cliffs and riverbanks, which are usually are controlled by clayey layers and joint systems; shear landslides with spherical surfaces develop on man-made scarps along road cuts and in open-cast mines. Coastal landslides develop on cliffs undercut by marine abrasion; the Baltic Sea is transgressing upon Poland at a rate of between a dozen centimetres and several metres annually, causing many technical (protection measures) and economic (financial compensation claims) problems. Interestingly, fossil landslides occur in Tatras and Pieniny in the Inner Carpathians, and in the Outer Carpathian flysch; another type of fossil landslide developed at the margin of receding continental glacier lobes in north-west Poland, forming scenic landscapes.
