"The present book comprises lectures given at the European Commission Advanced Study Course on "Natural Disasters and Sustainable Development" which was held in Orvieto, Italy, in September 1998"--Pref. Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part I. Understanding natural processes and modelling: -- 1. The erosion of coasts and the 'Atlas of the Italian Beaches' -- 2. Upwelling of the sea over the past 11.5 cal kyr B.P. -- 3. Meteorological factors influencing slope stability -- 4. Use of radar rainfall estimates for flood simulation in mountainous basins -- 5. FLOODS : a flood operational decision support system -- 6. A brief overview of hydrological modelling -- 7. Slope instabilities and restauration in the historical town of Orvieto -- Part II. Hazard and risk assessment: -- 8. Heavy rainfall hazards -- 9. Snow avalanches -- 10. Land use planning in hazard mitigation : intervening in social and systemic vulnerabilities : an appication to seismic risk prevention -- 11. Landslide susceptibility mapping : a methodological approach -- 12. Application of an integrated method for landslide hazard assessment in the area of Corvara in Badia (Dolomites, Italy) -- 13. Tsunami hazard in southern Italy -- 14. Integrated investigations on landslides : the example of the super Sauze earthflow -- 15. Disaster, communication and public information -- Part III. Implementing sustainable development: -- 16. Natural disasters and sustainable development : from theory to practice in Italy? -- 17. A risk analysis and sustainability approach to natural disaster assessment and mitigation philosophy in the world -- 18. Activities of UNESCO for natural disaster reduction -- 19. Reducing the effect of natural hazards on urban areas -- 20. The exposure of anthropogenic systems to natural hazards -- 21. Small-scale flooding and muddy floods as a geomorphologic hazard in central belgium : some financial consequences -- 22. GIS and natural hazards.