Boundary Issues

Italy And Plate Relations

On the northern border of the African Plate and the southwestern border of the Eurasian Plate lies the peninsula, and islands, of Italy.
The two plates converging results in the African Plate going under the lighter continental Eurasian Plate. The submerging plate creates the awesome sights of volcanic arcs and volcanoes, such as Mt.  Etna and Mt. Vesuvius. More than thirteen volcanoes have been discovered in Italy and is the only place in Europe with active volcanoes with four. This tectonic event also contributes to the Alpine Mountain Range that stretches from Austria and Slovenia in the east, Switzerland, Germany, and France to the west, and Italy and Monaco to the south.

Hazardous Conditions

Since Italy has both oceanic-continental and continental-continental convergence zones, it is more susceptible to different natural hazards. When the two plates meet in the southern tip, the African Plate submerges and rocks get heated into magma as they move closer to the mantle.

The magma rises through the overriding plate, causing volcanic eruptions and even forms new volcanic arcs. The difference in the temperature and density of the oceanic plate leads to rocks breaking up, releasing seismic activity, and creating earthquakes on both plates. One of the last major earthquakes to hit Italy was in May of 2012. Twenty-five miles north of Bologna was a 6.0 magnitude earthquake and ten days later a 5.8 hit the same area. (Video of earthquake). Earthquakes also contribute to landslides throughout the country. Another type of mass wasting that occurs is avalanches in the Alps.
Rising ocean levels are having a big effect on places such as Po Valley and the famous river city of Venice. These places are sinking further into the ground every year and are subject to mass flooding. Unfortunately it is a usual occurrence in this part of the world.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/9277684/Four-dead-after-powerful-earthquake-strikes-Italy.html
http://geology.com/volcanoes/etna/
http://italysvolcanoes.com/