Landslide Risk Management in Sicily

This paper presents a heuristic approach to support landslide risk man-agement in Sicily, a region where geological complexity and long-standing settle-ments result in many exposed and vulnerable urban areas. The approach combines information available at a regional level on geomorphology, geology, geotechni-cal engineering, and human influence in order to define a landslide susceptibility index. This parameter is then considered together with a risk exposure index derived from regional landslide inventory and risk zoning data. Their integration allows different urban centres to be compared using consistent criteria and sup-ports the identification of priorities for risk management. Rather than providing specific engineering solutions, the method is designed to highlight areas where further investigation, monitoring, or mitigation measures are urgently required. The framework was applied to a representative sample of small urban centres in Sicily, with significant cultural heritage value. The proposed methodology proves that, while landslide susceptibility is generally high across the region, the level of risk and the corresponding management requirements vary significantly from one site to another, and provide a simple and transparent tool to support regional decision-making.