avulsion; natural separation of land by water
Technical legal/geographical term for the sudden removal of land by the action of water, such as a river changing course or a flood tearing away soil. Not used in everyday conversation.
Due to avulsion caused by the flood, the boundary of the land along the river changed.
Avulsion can affect land ownership under the law.
侵食 (erosion) is a gradual wearing away, while 自然分離 (avulsion) is a sudden, perceptible removal of land by water.
Compound of 自然 (natural) and 分離 (separation). The term is a direct translation of the English legal term 'avulsion'.