we are here to talk about rockslide, rockfalls, and related issues. what is the difference between a geologist and a geotechnical engineer? >> and engineering geologist deals with identifying site characteristics, mapping, the ground's surface, collecting all of this data. the engineer can come up with medications and designs. >> the structural engineer might be working on a building if there is a building involved. what is your role? >> i am interested in the physical properties of the earth and how the earth will behave: subject to different load changes. when you are building a building, you are applying a load and you are wondering if the earth will be able to supply that load. we work closely together and we come up with practical engineering solutions. >> this is when someone wants to build something. also, we have a rock piece of land. we have to have a resolution. >> in the u.s., about 2/3 of the population lives in areas that are prone to landslides. about $2 billion of damage occurs annually from landslides. unfortunately, 20-25 million peop

we read it just last year where 455 vallejo, there was a rockslide that affected properties on broadway and montgomery. at rock slide occurred because of blasting that occurred back in the turn-of-the-century that left the rock week. 100 years later, the weak rock cannot stand there anymore and it fell. this slide is a long sansome street, where the city chose to protect sansome street and the cars, and they built this catchment wall. the sole purpose of this wall is to catch rocked that falls from private property. >> and every year or two, we get a call saying that rocks have fallen down the road and spilled over. this is the famous slide where we had a building at the top fall down this hill. this is the 22 street building. this was a watercolor done in 1945 by david mandel which -- by david mandelowiz. this building started gradually falling and sliding down. >> they had to replace the street right there. and in the process of jack hammering out the old st., they weakened the rocked. then the rockfall occurred. it undermined the building. once the building was undermined, it could n

telegraph hill to talk about a subject of great interest for the people of san francisco which is rockslide, slope stability, which caused a dramatic front-page news. i am here with two knowledgeable and wonderful guests.

county alone sustained about $19 million in damage during a series of march storms including this rockslide in scotts valley. but the federal emergency management agency denied the aid. >> its one thing to describe the impacts on paper in a letter. it's an entirely different thing to show it on video and hear from the people district little am packed that actually see real world foot act. disaster before your eyes. >> reporter: the 10-minute video features some of the local leaders whose communities were hit hardest such as the capitola city manager. >> the most significant natural disaster capitola has experienced ever. >> reporter: goldstein says his city has already burned through its reserve funds paying for flood repairs so he will do whatever he can to try to convince the federal government to help. >> it was an innovative approach i thought. i haven't heard of state and federal agencies communicating through video montage. >> reporter: the state filed its formal appeal with fema just over a week ago. along with the video, fema now has 30 days from the date to issue a formal response.

. >> we have a late thaw, and we sat and watched a rockslide yesterday after a heavy rain., it's high speed country. >> relatives hoped the experienced hikers would still be alive. the father wrote wilderness survival guides. >>> doctors will return to sausalito to look for the plane that capsized. searchers think it could be days before they locate the aircraft. visibility under water is just 6 inches. the pilot says he was trying to cruise the shore line, when waves were made from the nearby ferry and engulfed the plane. >> it should have nosed over, and its back, if that's the case, the plane mr. be -- will be where the tide struck the bottom. >>> a fishes boat that ran aground in bodega bay this week has been successfully towed back into shore. a member sent out a lifeboat. the two fishermen were rescued and taken to shore and they were not hurt. >>> a warning about a scam. someone is making phone calls requesting donations on behalf of brian carter, an officer who recently died from cancer. the association says it is not soliciting funds on behalf of the late officer.

county alone sustained about $19 million in damage during a series of march storms including this rockslide in scotts valley but the federal emergency management agency denied california's request for aid. so now the state is striking back and has produced this video as part of the appeals process. >> it's one thing to cite impacts on paper in a letter. it's another thing to show it on video and hear from the people directly impacted. >> reporter: the 10-minute video features some of the local leaders whose communities were hit the hardest such as capitola's city manager jaime goldstein. >> the most significant natural disaster capitola has experienced since its incorporation in 1950s. >> reporter: goldstein says his city has already burned through its reserve funds paying for flood repairs, so he will do whatever he can to try to convince the foul federal government to help. >> it was a really innovative approach i thought. i haven't heard of state and federal agencies communicating via video montage before but i thought it was a good approach. i thought it was a good way to get out inform