Landslide Hazard Investigations in the Dolomites (Italy): The Case Study of Cortina d’Ampezzo

Many researchers who deal with mass movements feel that landslide hazard is generally neglected, more emphasis being given to other types of hazards such as seismic and volcanic hazards. It has been estimated that every year about 225 000 lives are lost because of natural events in general (Burton et al. 1978), among which several mass movements causing casualties are included (for a more comprehensive review of these events see Eisbacher and Clague 1984; Hansen 1984; Brabb 1991; Gares et al. 1994). The fact that landslide hazard is usually underestimated is even more unfortunate, since slope movements are usually more easily predictable and manageable than earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or hurricanes. Actually, besides high-magnitude mass movements which occur quite seldom, there is a huge number of medium to small sized landslides which are so widespread that the related cost for human society is even higher than that of catastrophic events.