Landslides

A landslide is defined as the ‘movement of a mass of rock, earth or debris along a slope’. The causes are complex and often combined. In addition to the amount of water or snow, deforestation and fires also cause landslides. Alpine and Apennine areas of the country, but also coastal areas, are generally exposed to the risk of landslide movements, due to the nature of the rocks and the slope, which can render the slope quite unstable.

  • Contact your municipality to find out if landslide-prone areas are present.
  • In safe conditions, observe the ground in your vicinity to detect the presence of small landslides or small changes in the terrain: in some cases, small changes in morphology can be considered precursors of landslide events.
  • In some cases, cracks and fractures are visible on buildings before landslides; some walls tend to rotate or shift.
  • Stay away from watercourses or streams where there may be the possibility of rapid mudflows.

  • If the landslide is coming towards you or if it is below you, get away as fast as you can, trying to reach a higher or more stable place.
  • If it is not possible to escape, crouch down on yourself as much as possible and protect your head.
  • Always look towards the landslide, watching out for stones or other objects which could bounce and hit you.
  • Do not linger under poles or pylons: they could collapse or fall.
  • Do not approach the edge of a landslide because it is unstable.
  • If you are driving along a road and come across a freshly fallen landslide, try to signal the danger to other cars that may be approaching.

  • Without entering the landslide area, quickly check if there are people injured or trapped there. If so, report the presence of these people to rescuers. Move away from the landslide area immediately afterwards. There may be a risk of further ground movement.
  • Check if there are any people in need of assistance, especially children, the elderly and disabled people.
  • Landslides can often cause power, gas and water service interruption, along with the disruption of roads and railways. Report such problems to the relevant authorities.
  • In the event of a gas leak from a building, do not go in to close the valve. Check whether there is a mains valve outside the house and if so close it. Report this to the fire brigade or other specialised personnel.