Seismic-induced landslide susceptibility in Malta and Gozo

Abstract

This grade-2 study is the first evaluation of seismic-induced landslide susceptibility in Malta and Gozo. It employs a GIS-based heuristic method that considers surface geology, slope angle and seismic intensity as its main parameters. The study area is not characterised by a high seismic hazard, however its relative close proximity to active seismic sources makes it an interesting case study. The results showed that no part of Malta and Gozo is considered to be very susceptible to landsliding triggered by earthquakes. The study identified 0.3% of the study area to have susceptibility levels higher than 50%, with the highest calculated susceptibility level being 58.83% for an intensity IX seismic event, which was never recorded locally. The study successfully matched the two reported landslides induced by the 1693 earthquake, in Xlendi and Buskett to areas classified as having medium and high susceptibility levels respectively.