Abstract

This study presents DEDICA (Database of Hydrogeological Instability Events in Calabria, southern Italy), developed by the District Basin Authority of the Southern Apennines (ABDAM) in collaboration with the CNR-IRPI. The database integrates digitized historical sources, chronicle-based records, and previously unpublished archival data that were systematically analyzed, validated, and georeferenced within a GIS environment. After two years of development, DEDICA includes 5329 landslides, 2097 flood events, and 1711 urban flooding occurrences spanning the period 1900–2025. The system supports continuous data updating, enabling both the integration of recent events and the refinement of historical records. The database provides a comprehensive tool for identifying areas prone to geo-hydrological hazards based on historical recurrence, supporting hazard assessment, land-use planning, and risk management strategies. The methodological framework, database structure, and data processing workflow are described in detail. Spatio-temporal analyses highlight the distribution of instability processes, identifying the most affected sectors and revealing seasonal patterns and long-term trends. DEDICA represents a pilot initiative within a broader program aimed at extending the inventory to all regions under ABDAM jurisdiction, ultimately contributing to the development of a unified geo-hydrological hazard database for southern Italy.

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