The Hydrogeologic Event of September-october 2000 In The Jonian Calabria. Analysis of Geomorphic Effects and Induced Damage Aimed At Event Characterisation.
Abstract
The Jonian sector of Calabria (Southern Italy) is frequently hit by serious hydro- geologic events, commonly inducing heavy geomorphic effects and resulting in widespread damage. In the study area, the last hydrogeologic disaster occurred in 2000, when severe storms hit the regional territory in two distinct phases, on the first decade of September and, with minor effects, at the beginning of October. Besides the severe damage which was induced along the entire Jonian coastal sector, the early storm was responsible for 12 victims in the camping at Soverato (CZ), located at the mouth of the Beltrame stream basin (about 80 sq. km). The "epicentre" of dam- age (resulting from both phases) was located on the southern Jonian sector. Hundreds of landslides and severe flooding caused huge economic losses. Several villages re- mained temporarily isolated, owing to severe damage to the local road network. Along the coast, villages and infrastructures underwent serious damage as a consequence of the interference with flooding. The hydrogeologic event has been analysed through air-photo interpretation and field surveying: 1:25,000 scale inventory maps have been realised during the weeks immediately following the disaster. Furthermore, a recogni- tion of damage recorded by local and national newspapers during the considered event has also been performed. The classification of the event could then be attempted, by comparing its "structure" (in terms of amount of effects, their severity, spatial distri- bution and evolution) with a scheme of classification, recently proposed for the hy- drogeologic events of the same area. The above mentioned scheme of classification of hydrologic events is based on the analysis of the historic damage, concerning the main disasters occurred, in the same area, during the past centuries. These events could be distinguished in different classes, on the basis of severity of recorded damage and of triggering rainfall. Comparative analysis allowed us to assign the 2000 hydrogeologic event to one of the most severe classes of the classification scheme.
- Publication:
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EGS General Assembly Conference Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002EGSGA..27.3461P