Surface movements of a landslide involving weathered and degraded rocks

Alarming signs of instability appeared on a natural slope during the winter of 1998-99 near a town in Southern Italy. This fact induced Authorities to close the national way that gives access to the town of Acri. This safety measure then caused many difficulties for the populations of a vast mountain area. Surveys and preliminary investigations highlighted the need to set up a monitoring system, directly supervising the site, in order to re-open the road with acceptable risks for the population. It was decided to test and verify, for survey and control purposes, the use of surveying equipment for monitoring the surface movements of the landslide area. The paper shows the information gained and it underlines the contribution of monitoring activities to manage emergencies and plan risk mitigation activities and hazard reduction measures.