Sensitive clay liquifies when shaken a lot, or when falling from a height of 40 metres down to the river — like in the case of the recent landslide. Demers says that is why this slide was so huge.

Quick clay, a naturally occurring sensitive marine clay that can undergo sudden liquefaction when disturbed, poses a significant hazard in regions across Scandinavia, Canada and beyond.

“The Ste-Monique area is known for landslides,” he said. “This magnitude is quite rare, but it’s an area that’s on sensitive clay, so these are things that can happen.” ...

Quebec's clay-rich soil raises landslide risk — even with no major slope Published on May. 25, 2025, 10:15 AM ...

Landslides also occur around Gatineau, Que., near Ottawa; in the Charlevoix region, northeast of Quebec City; and the Gaspé Peninsula. All of those regions are located on a clay plain left by a ...

A landslide expert says a massive slide along the Great Whale River in northern Quebec was not caused by the effects of climate change. It was made bigger because of something called "sensitive clay." ...

A landslide that swallowed a home and left a 300-metre crater in the middle of a rural road in central Quebec on Wednesday has left many wondering how it could have happened.