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Impact of tsunamis generated by landslides at Stromboli on the entire Aeolian Island chain

Emmie M. Bonilauri1 , Catherine Aaron2, Andrew J.L. Harris1, Raphaël Paris1, Matteo Cerminara3, Tomaso Esposti Ongaro3, Domenico Mangione4

  • Affiliations: 1 Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, Clermont -- Ferrand, France 2 Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire de Mathématiques Blaise Pascal, Clermont -- Ferrand, France 3 Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Sezione di Pisa, Pisa, Italy 4 Dipartimento della Protezione Civile, Rome, Italy 

  • Presentation type: Poster

  • Presentation time: Tuesday 16:30 - 18:30, Room Poster Hall

  • Poster Board Number: 60

  • Programme No: 6.3.19

  • Theme 6 > Session 3

Abstract

At Stromboli (Aeolian Islands, Italy) tsunamis can be generated by landslides and pyroclastic density currents entering the sea. The proximity of the other Aeolian Islands (Panarea, Salina, Lipari, Vulcano, Filicudi and Alicudi), which are mostly within 20-50 km of Stromboli, results in high exposure to the tsunami hazard at all islands. In December 2002, tsunamis were generated by two landslides at Stromboli and impacted mostly Stromboli itself, but also all Aeolian Islands as well as the northern coast of Sicily. The first tsunami reached the closest neighbour island, Panarea, just 5 minutes after the first landslide. Numerical simulations of tsunamigenic landslides on the unstable NE flank of Stromboli (i.e., the Sciara del Fuoco) were run to define inundation area scenarios along all Aeolian Island coastlines. Each combination of landslide parameters (position, volume and density) gave us three outputs: coastal inundation (flooding extent and flow depths), offshore wave heights, and tsunami arrival times. In addition, virtual gauges were placed around the Aeolian islands to measure maximum sea heights and associated arrival times. In the case of tsunamis generated by a local source, i.e., where tsunami travel time is <10 minutes,  evacuation routes must be defined in advance and signposted on the ground. Currently, except for Stromboli, no signposting is yet in place in the Aeolian islands, hence the importance of our joint work with the Italian civil protection. These studies are crucial for civil protection planning, in terms of scenario building and adoption of risk reduction measures by the local authorities.