Civil Protection Department

The terms hydro-meteorological and hydraulic risk are used to identify the phenomena triggered by “unfavourable weather conditions” and the effective or potential damage caused by waters in general, be they surface, in liquid or solid form, or underground.

The most typical examples of hydrogeological phenomena comprise thunderstorms, winds and sea storms, fog, snow and ice, heat waves, landslides, floods, coastal erosion, subsidence and avalanches.

The hydro-meteorological and hydraulic risk is strongly influenced also by man’s actions. Density of population, the ever- progressing urbanization, abandonment of mountain areas, unauthorized buildings, continuous deforestation, the use of non eco-friendly agricultural techniques and the missing maintenance and upkeep of river beds and slopes have definitely worsened the hydrogeological instability and highlighted the fragility of our territory.