Uncertainty in Evaluating Landslide Hazard and Risk

In many countries landslides are widespread in space and time as to constitute the natural disaster which generates a yearly loss of property greater than that derived from any other catastrophe such as earthquakes, tornadoes and floods. This is largely true for Italy where the interaction of geological, geomorphological and climatic factors has led to a geomorphic evolution of the slopes mainly controlled by mass-movement. Hence, throughout the hilly and mountainous areas of the country, every year hundreds of failures take place damaging lifelines, dwellings and crop yields (Cotecchia, 1978; Canuti, 1982).