Geospatial Technologies for Landslide Monitoring, Case Study, Sighetu Marmației, Romania

Abstract

Landslides are a major natural hazard. One of the main causes of landslides is deforestation, doubled by water infiltration caused by heavy rains, torrents, floods, sudden melting of snow. In turn, these latter phenomena are also caused by climate change. Landslides are mostly associated with the downward movement of soil, rocks and organic materials under the direct influence of gravity, which causes instability. The authors investigated the numerous landslides produced on the slopes or at the foot of the Solovan Hill, where Sighetu Marmației Municipality is located. Around 120 locations have been identified, which present these instability phenomena. The paper shows how geomatics and geoinformatics technologies can be effectively used in analyzing the evolution of landslides (initiation, development, accentuation, presence of a danger which is triggered suddenly). These analyzes were carried out during the three years of research, respectively, 2020 - 2022. The paper presents a case study for one of the most serious situations, in which a landslide on Valea Cufundoasă street, on the slope belonging to the Solovan Hill, produced the complete destruction of a household in the year 2000.