BLOG 5 - MASS WASTING IN ITALY

     

    Throughout Italy's long history, one of the most serious threats to the lives of its citizens is mass waste. In 1963, a landslide from Mount Toc in Northern Italy caused large rocks and pieces of sediment to plunge as fast as 70 mph into the Vajont dam, causing "the water to rise as high as 300 feet above the level of the dam" (History, 2017). Thousands of people died in a matter of seconds as all of the water in the dam burst out and engulfed the town of Longarone. One of the more recent incidents includes the Rigopiano avalanche in 2017, which was caused by nearby earthquakes and buried 40 people alive and killed 29 (Braun, Frigo, Chiaia, Bartelt, Famiani, Wassermann, 2020). 

    Much of Italy is located in the Alps region, a region filled with mountains, rocky terrain, and snow and ice. "All types of landslides, debris and mudflows, glacial lake outburst floods, and ice avalanches" are all common in the region, caused by slope failure (Climate Change Post, 2020). In recent years, landslides have become more common due to the melting of permafrost. 

     The best way that one can avoid a landslide is by simply not moving to an area prone to them. Of course, this is not always possible, and so some other measures one can take are by maintaining vegetation on the location of the slope (this helps strengthen the soil), keeping an eye on the amount of rain in the area, and also avoiding additional water to the slope such as irrigation systems or pools (Holdeman, 2016). Although on the pricier side, it's a good idea for one to purchase separate earth-movement coverage for their house if they live in an area prone to landslides. 

                                                                 Sources 

https://www.climatechangepost.com/italy/avalanches-and-landslides/

https://www.govtech.com/em/emergency-blogs/disaster-zone/5-landslide-prevention-tips-plus-when-to-get-out.html

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/landslide-kills-thousands-in-italy

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-75368-z#Sec10