The Vajont Dam Disaster

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The Vajont Dam Disaster
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General Information

• Vajont Dam, (or Vaiont Dam)
• 262 Meters high,one of the biggest dams in the
  world.
• A tributary of the Piave River in the Venetia
  region of NE Italy. At the base of the Alps.
• Completed in 1961
• Used to generate HEP for the vastly expanding
  cities of Milan and Modena.

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The Disaster

• On the morning of October 9th, 1963 heavy
  rainfall, as well as, documented small tremors in
  Mount Toc on the West side of the reservoir
  created a landslide.

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The Landslide

• A block (Mount Toc) of 270 million square meters
  detached from one wall and slid into the lake at
  velocities of up to 30 meters/second.

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Devastation

• In the 30 seconds it took for Mount Toc to slide
  off of the side of the Valley wall, 50 of the
  reservoirs water had been displaced in a wave
  that rushed up the East side of the reservoir
  destroying the towns of Casso and Erto.

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Post Slide

• The wave then sent a tsunami 250 meters high over
  the reservoir decimating the towns of Longarone,
  Villanova, Rivalta, Pirago and Fae. It is
  estimated that anywhere from 1800-2600 people
  perished in this disaster.

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Memorials for the dead, Longamore, Italy