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:''For the unincorporated village in the U.S. state of Connecticut, see Rockfall (village).''

'Rockfall' refers to quantities of rock falling freely from a cliff face. A rockfall is a fragment of rock (a block) detached by sliding, toppling, or falling, that falls along a vertical or sub-verticle cliff, proceeds down slope by bouncing and flying along ballistic trajectories or by rolling on talus or debris slopes,” (Varnes, 1978). Alternatively, a "rockfall is the natural downward motion of a detached block or series of blocks with a small volume involving free falling, bouncing, rolling, and sliding".
Unfavorable geology and climate are the principal causal mechanisms of rockfall, factors that include intact condition of the rock mass, discontinuities within the rockmass, weathering susceptibility, ground and surface water, freeze-thaw, root-wedging, and external stresses. The pieces of rock collect at the bottom creating a ''talus'' or ''scree''. Rocks falling from the cliff may dislodge other rocks and serve to create another mass wasting process, for example an avalanche. Options to mitigate rockfall hazards include both stabilization and protection structures.For examples see:([http://www.geovert.com)