Abstract
The report describes a recent landslide occurred in San Leo (northern Italy), an outstanding village from the historical, architectural and landscape point of view. On February 27, 2014, around 6 pm local time, about 0.30 Mm3 of rock detached from a sub-vertical cliff and fell into the facing valley, producing a roar and a shake, which was initially perceived by the inhabitants as an earthquake, then followed by a dust cloud produced by the fragmentation of material during the collapse. Fortunately, nobody was injured, neither the landslide damaged any relevant structure; anyhow, it is still posing a severe threat to the village and, above all, to the fortress that represents an architectural masterpiece dating back to the middle ages. An outlook of the event will be given, along with the description of the peculiar geological and geomorphological features driving the slope instability phenomena, which indeed are widely diffused in the entire region. Lastly, an overview of the landslides, which historically affected the village, is also given, showing how natural hazards can influence the history of a site.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig1_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig2_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig3_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig4_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig5_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig6_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig7_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig8_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig9_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10346-015-0559-4/MediaObjects/10346_2015_559_Fig10_HTML.jpg)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allstadt K (2013) Extracting source characteristics and dynamics of the August 2010 Mount Meager landslide from broadband seismograms. J Geophys Res 118:1472–1490
Benedetti G, Bernardi M, Borgatti L, Continelli F, Ghirotti M, Guerra C, Landuzzi A, Lucente CC, Marchi G (2011) San Leo: centuries of coexistence with landslides. In: Margottini C, Canuti P, Sassa K (eds) Landslide science and practice. Springer, Berlin, 6, pp 529–537
Borchia R, Nesci O (2012) The invisible landscape. A fascinating hunt for the real landscapes of Piero della Francesca among Montefeltro Hills. In: Il Lavoro Editoriale (ed) Ancona, Italy 144p
Caturani A, Ribacchi R, Tommasi P (1991) The San Leo Cliff (Italy): stability conditions and remedial measures. VII ISRM Int. Congr. on Rock Mechanics, Aachen, 2, pp 853–858
Conti S, Tosatti G (1996) Tectonic vs gravitational processes affecting Ligurian and Epiligurian units in the Marecchia valley (Northern Apennines). Mem Sci Geol 48:107–142
D’Ambra S, Giglio G, Lembo-Fazio A (2004) Interventi di sistemazione e stabilizzazione della Rupe di San Leo. 10° Congress INTERPRAEVENT 2004, Riva del Garda 2:IV/103-114
Mann ME (2002) The Earth system: physical and chemical dimensions of global environmental change. In: MacCracken MC, Perry JS (eds) Encyclopedia of global environmental change. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, pp 504–509
Piastra S, Landuzzi A, Cencini C (2005) Historical landslides (XVII–XIX centuries) from Romagna Apennines, Northern Italy. A cultural approach. 6th Int. Congress on Geomorphology, Zaragoza, Spain, 410p
Ribacchi R, Tommasi P (1988) Preservation and protection of the historical town of San Leo (Italy). IAEG Int. Symp. on Engineering Geology of Ancient Works, Monuments and Historical Sites, Athens, 1:55–64
Spreafico MC, Bacenetti M, Borgatti L, Cignetti M, Giardino M, Perotti L (2013) Structural analysis of San Leo (RN, Italy) east and north cliffs using 3D point clouds. Rend Online Soc Geol Ital 24:304–306
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV, Italy), which provided the seismic record of Mount Carpegna station (http://ismd.mi.ingv.it/). The support and encouragement by the municipal administration is also acknowledged. Finally, we thank the anonymous reviewers who provided useful insights, which improved the original manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Borgatti, L., Guerra, C., Nesci, O. et al. The 27 February 2014 San Leo landslide (northern Italy). Landslides 12, 387–394 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-015-0559-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-015-0559-4