Landslide inventory in northern Calabria, southern Italy

In Calabria, the toe of the Italian boot, landsliding and slope instability, produced by soft rocks, rapid tectonic uplift, earthquakes, and seasonally heavy precipitation, constitute a major geologic hazard. For this reason a detailed inventory of landslide and accelerated erosion events has been initiated in northern Calabria. To carry out this project, a methodology for the collection and mapping of slope instability phenomena has been established.

The method is based on the use of a standardized form for the collection of field data. The data form and related map symbols reflect the purpose of the project, which is the collection of information that is as quantitative and objective as possible on a large number of slope instability phenomena by surveyors with varying degrees of field and laboratory experience.

The morphometric and typologic data gathered in this way constitute a convenient basis for statistical analysis of factors related to the slope stability and for the preparation of landslide susceptibility maps. The maps also can be used readily for soil conservation measures.

This inventory method has been tested in two sample areas and is at present being applied to an area of about 1,000 km².