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Snow avalanche hazards in the Făgăraş massif (Southern Carpathians): Romanian Carpathians—Management and perspectives

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Abstract

Snow avalanches represent an undeniable reality in the Southern Carpathians both as a geomorphic process and as a type of hazard. Before the 1990s, few researchers focused on avalanches in Romania. However, after 1990, avalanches became an increasingly important topic of Romanian research including research on their management implications. This study focuses on the Făgăraş massif, a representative mountain unit in the Southern Carpathians that is dominant due to its glacial and periglacial relief, high altitudes and high occurrence of avalanche hazards. Three main research issues are considered. First, types of avalanches are delineated along with affected areas of the Bâlea glacial valley (on the northern slope) and the Capra glacial valley (on the southern slope) using data from a research centre for snow and avalanche monitoring that was created in the Bâlea glacial cirque in 2003. Second, the impact of avalanches on human activities is considered including transportation use of the Transfăgărăşan Highway that traverses the highest elevations in Romania and winter recreation activities such as skiing, snowboarding, climbing and hiking. The impacts on forests are also considered. Third, the needs and gaps of avalanche management are considered, specifically in the Făgăraş massif and also more generally in the mountains of Romania.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to express his appreciation to Maria Moţoiu, meteorologist, in charge of the nivometeorology research group of the Dynamic Meteorology Climatology and Agrometeorology Department, to the Group of Forecast Analysis and Statistic Adaptation, National Administration of Meteorology, to Narcisa Milian, forecast meteorologist at Regional Weather Forecast Centre, Sibiu for having made available documentation of the nivological balances for the winters of 2003–2004, 2004–2005 and 2005–2006, to Adi David, director of Mountain Rescuers Sibiu (on the northern slope), to Mountain Rescuers Victoria (on the northern slope) and to Mountain Rescuers Argeş (on the southern slope), for statistical data, regarding the fatalities in the Făgăraş massif.

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  1. Department of Geography, West University of Timişoara, 4, Bdul V. Pârvan, 300223, Timisoara, Romania

    Mircea Voiculescu

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Voiculescu, M. Snow avalanche hazards in the Făgăraş massif (Southern Carpathians): Romanian Carpathians—Management and perspectives. Nat Hazards 51, 459–475 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-008-9281-z

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