The goal of this paper is to show which areas are particularly prone to earthquake-induced slope failure. In this regard, the paper considers the short- and long-term effects of geological, tectonic, climatic and morphological conditions. Case histories related to five earthquake events in the Tien Shan and Pamir Mountains are outlined: the earthquakes of Kemin in 1911, Sarez in 1911, Khait in 1949, Gissar in 1989 and Suusamyr in 1992. The potential impact of seismically triggered mass movement affecting loess deposits is further pointed out through comparison with the 1920 Haiyuan (China) earthquake. One conclusion is that in semi-arid mountain regions marked by a strong seismic activity, such as those in Central Asia, seismogenic landslides and related long-term effects may represent the most important geohazards. Further, the susceptibility to seismic slope instability is highest along active fault zones and on convex slopes made of soft or fractured materials.