Publication Date:
2017-04-04
Description:
The volcanic archipelago of the Aeolian Islands
(Sicily, Italy) is included on the UNESCO World Heritage
list and is visited by more than 200 000 tourists per year.
Due to its geological characteristics, the risk related to volcanic
and seismic activity is particularly high. Since 1916
the archipelago has been hit by eight local tsunamis. The
most recent and intense of these events happened on 30 December
2002. It was triggered by two successive landslides
along the north-western side of the Stromboli volcano (Sciara
del Fuoco), which poured approximately 2–3×107 m3 of
rocks and debris into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The waves impacted
across the whole archipelago, but most of the damage
to buildings and infrastructures occurred on the islands of
Stromboli (maximum run-up 11 m) and Panarea.
The aim of this study is to assess the vulnerability of buildings
to damage from tsunamis located within the same area
inundated by the 2002 event. The assessment is carried out
by using the PTVA-3 Model (Papathoma Tsunami Vulnerability
Assessment, version 3). The PTVA-3 Model calculates
a Relative Vulnerability Index (RVI) for every building,
based on a set of selected physical and structural attributes.
Run-up values within the area inundated by the 2002
tsunami were measured and mapped by the Istituto Italiano
di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) and the University of
Bologna during field surveys in January 2003. Results of
the assessment show that if the same tsunami were to occur
today, 54 buildings would be affected in Stromboli, and 5
in Panarea. The overall vulnerability level obtained in this
analysis for Stromboli and Panarea are “average”/“low” and
“very low”, respectively. Nonetheless, 14 buildings in Strom-
Correspondence to: F. Dall’Osso
(filippodallosso@gmail.com)
boli are classified as having a “high” or “average” vulnerability.
For some buildings, we were able to validate the RVI
scores calculated by the PTVA-3 Model through a qualitative
comparison with photographs taken by INGV and the
University of Bologna during the post-tsunami survey. With
the exception of a single structure, which is partially covered
by a coastal dune on the seaward side, we found a good
degree of accuracy between the PTVA-3 Model forecast assessments
and the actual degree of damage experienced by
buildings. This validation of the model increases our confidence
in its predictive capability. Given the high tsunami risk
for the archipelago, our results provide a framework for prioritising
investments in prevention measures and addressing
the most relevant vulnerability issues of the built environment,
particularly on the island of Stromboli.
Description:
Published
Description:
1547-1562
Description:
3.8. Geofisica per l'ambiente
Description:
4.4. Scenari e mitigazione del rischio ambientale
Description:
JCR Journal
Description:
open
Keywords:
tsunami
;
vulnerability
;
Stromboli volcano
;
05. General::05.08. Risk::05.08.02. Hydrogeological risk
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
article
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