New research analyses in detail the possible coastal flood scenarios of the villages of Monterosso and Vernazza by 2150, highlighting the vulnerability of beaches, docks, port areas and tourist and transport infrastructures.
The coasts of Monterosso and Vernazza, in the Cinque Terre National Park in Liguria, are increasingly exposed to the effects of rising sea levels.. this is what emerges from the study “The First Relative Sea Level Rise and Storm Surges Scenarios up to 2150 CE for the Coasts of Monterosso and Vernazza, Cinque Terre National Park (Liguria, Italy)”, recently published in the scientific journal Remote sensing by an international team of researchers from theIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV),Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (IGAG) of the National Research Council (CNR), from the Department of Engineering, University of Basilicata (UNIBAS),Cinque Terre National Park Authority, ofAristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece),Astronomical Observatory “Lesia” in Paris (France) and Radboud University of the Netherlands.
Combining high resolution topographic and bathymetric data, geodetic surveys, tidal historical series and numerical modelling of storm surges, the work proposes a first integrated assessment of possible coastal flooding scenarios up to 2150, within the IPCC climate projections (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
The analysis highlights that the Ligurian sector considered presents a non-stationary trend of sea level rise, confirming a increasing vulnerability of low-lying coastal areas and outlining scenarios useful for territorial planning and coastal risk reduction.
“According to our calculations, by 2150 the relative rise in sea level could be between 0,60 and 1,17 meters, with a consequent expansion of the areas exposed to the risk of flooding.”, they explain Marco Anzidei, Research Director of INGV and Alessandro Bosman, senior researcher at IGAG-CNR and research associate at INGV, coordinators of the study. “Our work has also highlighted that, in the event of extreme events, the most sensitive areas are small beaches and low-lying port areas.”.
During the strongest storm surges, with return periods of 1 and 100 years under higher sea level conditions, in the most severe climate scenario, waves could reach run-up heights of over 13 meters, with possible risks for the railway lines connecting the Cinque Terre., the researchers add.
The study therefore underlines the opportunity to consider targeted adaptation measures, including the adjustment of the quay levels, the improvement of drainage systems and the protection of infrastructure and services related to tourism.
In this picture, The research provides useful knowledge support for planning, prevention and risk mitigation activities by the competent administrations.
The topics covered by the study, together with others aimed at raising public awareness on the impact that human activities and climate change have on the oceans, are being addressed right now in Genoa, where the World Oceans Day: Knowing, Understanding, Living Together, the event promoted by INGV on the occasion of the World Oceans Day (WOD), the day established by the United Nations which is celebrated today, 8nd June.
More information about the Genoa event at following link.
Useful links:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (IGAG-CNR)
University of Basilicata (UNIBAS)
Cinque Terre National Park Authority
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Lesia Astronomical Observatory in Paris
Radbound University of Nijmegen
World Oceans Day: Knowing, Understanding, Living Together
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Topographic surveys on the coast of Vernazza
A moment of aerial photogrammetric surveys with a drone for the creation of very high-resolution coastal risk maps.