Lessons learned by 10 years of geophysical measurements with Civil Protection in Basilicata (Italy) landslide areas

Abstract

In the last 10 years, also due to climate change, extreme rain events have affected the Basilicata region (southern Italy) causing landslides and floods that have damaged urban fabric, commercial activities and transport infrastructures. In many of these cases, the civil protection system, involving national (DPC) and regional (DRPC) Civil Protection Departments, was activated to manage the emergency phase in cooperation with local administrations and scientific institutions, which in this context are referred to as competence centres (CdCs). Among the latter, the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (IMAA) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) has been frequently involved in carrying out geophysical investigations in landslide areas, especially during the post-event phase. This paper reports the main results of the in-field geophysical surveys carried out in two areas of the Basilicata region affected by significant landslides in the last 10 years. The aim of the surveys was to provide the DRPC technicians with a useful subsoil geophysical model to improve the knowledge of the geological setting of the slope, to reconstruct the geometry of landslide body and to highlight high water content areas, in order to support the decision-making process. At the end of the paper, a discussion follows with the lessons learned from each case study along with recommendations on how to possibly improve the application of geophysical techniques in landslide investigations in order to further increase their impact.