Catastrophic Geomophological Events and the role of rainfalls in South-Eastern Calabria (Southern Italy)

Abstract

South-Eastern Calabria is among the areas in Southern Italy which are hardest hit by heavy and relentless rainfalls able to induce geomorphological phenomena sometimes resulting in widespread damage. The Catastrophic Geomorphological Events which have occurred over a time period of 67 years across an area of about 700 Km2 are characterised with a view to correlating major phenomena, such as landslides and flooding, with heavy rains and anthropic expansion. Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks outcrop and slope stability phenomena affecting the area vary in density and frequency accordingly. Induced phenomena are divided in landslides, floods and “secondary floods”. The analysis of historical precipitation series highlighted the space and time distribution of rainfalls, determining their exceptionality as return period of daily cumulative rainfall of different duration, with respect to the various disastrous phenomena triggered. The aim of this study is to predict different scenarios characterised by various severity levels related to rainfall return periods.