The 2017 Rigopiano Avalanche—Dynamics Inferred from Field Observations

Abstract

Data on the disastrous snow avalanche that occurred on 18 January 2017 at the spa hotel Rigopiano, municipality of Farindola in the Abruzzo region of central Italy, are analyzed in different ways. The main results are the following. (i) The 2017 Rigopiano avalanche went beyond the run-out point predicted by the topographic-statistical α-β model with standard Norwegian calibration, while avalanches in neighboring paths appear to have run no farther than the β-point of their respective paths during the same period. (ii) The curvature and super-elevation of the trimline between 1500 and 1300 m a.s.l. indicate that the velocity of the front was around 40 m s−1. In contrast, the tail velocity of the avalanche can hardly have exceeded 25 m s−1 in the same segment. (iii) The deposits observed along all of the lower track and in the run-out zone suggest that the avalanche eroded essentially the entire snow cover, but fully entrained only a moderate amount of snow (and debris). The entrainment appears to have had a considerable decelerating effect on the flow front. (iv) Estimates of the degree to which different parts of the building were damaged is combined with information about the location of the persons in the building and their fates. This allows to refine a preliminary vulnerability curve for persons in buildings obtained from the 2015 Longyearbyen avalanche, Svalbard.

Snow Avalanche Assessment in Mass Movement-Prone Areas: Results from Climate Extremization in Relationship with Environmental Risk Reduction in the Prati di Tivo Area (Gran Sasso Massif, Central Italy)

“…Recent exceptional snowfall events in the Abruzzo Region (i.e., January 2017 [75,126,127]) caused several damages and injuries in the surrounding Prati di Tivo area. Consequently, the safety services for ski resorts and facilities were updated by installing 12 Obellx ® gas exploders [109] to better manage short-term avalanche risks.…”

“…Moreover, most of the chosen sites were devoid of terminology, and according to their proximity to isolated buildings or specific sites/localities, it was decided to provide detailed descriptions for some of them. The exceptional snowfall events generating the snow avalanche disaster involving the Rigopiano Hotel in January 2017 [75,126,127] caused several collateral events in the surrounding areas, including the Prati di Tivo area. They generated a wide snow avalanche along the Vallone della Giumenta (Figure 13) and determined acute injuries to the Prati di Tivo residence (Figure 14).…”

“…They generated a wide snow avalanche along the Vallone della Giumenta (Figure 13) and determined acute injuries to the Prati di Tivo residence (Figure 14). The exceptional snowfall events generating the snow avalanche disaster involving the Rigopiano Hotel in January 2017 [75,126,127] caused several collateral events in the surrounding areas, including the Prati di Tivo area. They generated a wide snow avalanche along the Vallone della Giumenta (Figure 13) and determined acute injuries to the Prati di Tivo residence (Figure 14).…”

Estudio de modelos de avalancha usando esquemas de volúmenes finitos bien balanceados

“…The meteorological conditions and fluid dynamics are detailed by Frigo et al (2021). The velocity and departure distance estimates are provided by Issler (2020). We will provide graphs of the numerical simulations performed with the scheme, using estimates for the physical parameters and assumptions about the initial conditions that we consider reasonable according to the available data.…”