Study on some villages damaged by natural processes in NW Italy

This paper presents a study sample carried out on 41 villages of the Piedmont Region (NW Italy) affected by natural processes over the last 200 years. These inhabited areas are entitled to benefit from an old act for the relocation or local reinforcement at State expense. All historical information found concerning old processes which involved these areas was considered, beginning with archives. Old documents, maps and technical reports were looked up in each municipality and in the archives of various Authorities working in land management. Books and newspapers were also consulted. For each phenomenon, aerial photographs were analyzed and compared with old photographs where available. Information was added by geomorphological surveys. Causes and effects were examined, in particular defining typology in relation to evolutive dynamic and kinematic features in prone areas. Data were assembled in chronological and technical files: these highlight recurrences, useful in defining hazard rating of the area.