Geology, slow-moving landslides, and damages to building in Verbicaro area (north-western Calabria region, southern Italy)

This paper presents a mass movement inventory map at 1:5000 scale of the Verbicaro area
(about 13 km2) located in the Calabria region (southern Italy). The Main Map results from the
visual interpretation of aerial photographs, multi-temporal geomorphological field surveys,
and field investigations of damage suffered by buildings. Some 53% of the study area is
affected by a total of 252 landslides, comprising different types, state of activity, and size.
The mapped landslides, mainly complex type, involve low-grade metamorphic rocks; among
these, 15% are active and slow-move on pre-existing sliding surfaces. Moreover, out of 492
surveyed buildings, 347 are located on landslide-affected areas and experienced damages
covering a broad range of severity levels. The Main Map can represent a useful tool for
authorities in charge of land-use planning and urban management and can be used to
pursue landslide risk analyses.