The general objective of VIGIMONT is to develop landslide and debris flow forecasting system for safety authorities in mountain areas.

The deployment of meteorological radars, the occurence of debris flows and landslides induced by meteorological events will be analyzed, based on antecdent precipitations quantifications and event rainfalls definition.

It will permit to determine critical rainfall thresholds for events occurences, allowing events detection and mapping.

A multi-scale approach is proposed by considering both the regional and the local (municipality) scales, with the development of services for end-users acting at these two scales. Phenomena addressed here are focussed on some typologies of movements : it concerns shallow slides (or landslides), deep seated landslides and debris flows.

The specific objectives of the project are to achieve:

• 1) a better integration of meteorological data (radar rainfall, real-time lightning location systems, snow) into early-warning systems for debris flows and landslides;

• 2) an improved understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of debris-flow and landslide triggering conditions by a better  coupling of rainfall (intensity-duration thresholds) and geomorphic predictors (sediment supply, landslide and headwater catchment typology, landslide and debris flows susceptibility maps) ;

• 3) a better prediction of exposed areas by coupling triggering zones with propagation models;

• 4) the integration of real-time landslide and debris-flow warning maps in available early-warning systems with the definition of warning levels and analysis of associated uncertainties.
• 5) Concerning active deep landslides, it is planned to test the automatic production of ground motion Time Series using INSAR monthly updated.

The new developments will address the needs for regional, departmental and municipality’s civil protection services, with providing maps of vigilance levels.

The operational benefit for users will be an early dissemination of information and decision support messages, which will contribute to an earlier activation of the PCS and an earlier securing of the stakes.