Geohazard features of the Eastern Sicily

Eastern Sicily is characterised by fast tectonic uplift, intricate GPS-derived velocity fields, and significant seismic activity. Mount Etna, the largest subaerial active volcano in Europe, dominates the landscape, influencing the development of large-scale instability processes on the facing continental margin. South of Etna, the Malta Escarpment discloses crustal thinning, with active tectonics, extensional faults, and half grabens. Indications of active tectonics extend to northern sectors, suggesting a lithospheric tear and interaction with the Calabria-Peloritani uplift. This area has been affected by historical seismicity, with the 1693 earthquake triggering tsunami waves up to 15m high. Offshore seismic events, including the one in 1908, induced slope failures and turbidity currents on the Ionian abyssal plain, witnessed by several breaks in submarine cables. The continental margins of this region are generally characterized by narrow shelves and tectonically-controlled steep slopes, which are susceptible to different mass-wasting processes.