The use of documentary sources for reconstructing flood chronologies on the Amalfi rocky coast (southern Italy)

Porfido, S. and Esposito, E. and Alaia, F. and Molisso, F. and Sacchi, M. (2009) The use of documentary sources for reconstructing flood chronologies on the Amalfi rocky coast (southern Italy). In: Geohazard in Rocky Coastal Areas -ed Crescenzo Violante. Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 2009; v. 322I;, 2009 , (322). C. Violante, LONDON , UK, pp. 173-187. ISBN ISBN 978-1-86239-282-3

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Abstract

Documentary source materials are essential for retrospective reconstruction of flood events occurring in past centuries. This paper presents methods of research and archiving of historical data from the 16th century to the present. The quality and completeness of the various original sources were evaluated and carefully analysed in their historical context, to avoid serious mistakes. Systematic investigation of about 3000 documents, mainly found in national State Archives and libraries, allows us to identify and localize at least 106 flood events occurring along the Amalfi coast (southern Italy) for five centuries between the years 1500 and 2000. The collected data provide useful details on flood dynamics, size of flooded areas, flood duration, damage level, number of victims and induced geological effects. When available in sufficient quantity, the flood data allow determination of very useful parameters such as the severity class, to identify large floods and their recurrence interval.

Item Type:	Book Section
Additional Information:	per maggiori informazioni consultare il sito: http://sp.lyellcollection.org/content/vol322/issue1/#TITLE_DESCRIPTION
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Documentary sources, flood cronology,Amalfi rocky coast, southern Italy
Subjects:	500 Scienze naturali e Matematica > 550 Scienze della Terra
Depositing User:	dr Sabina Porfido
Date Deposited:	21 Oct 2009
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2010 11:29
URI:	http://eprints.bice.rm.cnr.it/id/eprint/1125

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