What occurred with the Vaiont disaster in Italy?

Overview of the Vajont Valley shortly after the disaster of 9 October 1963. Note the 260 million cubic metres (9,200×106 cu ft) landslide which broke off from Monte Toc and fell into the artificial basin….Landslide and wave.

What happened at the Vajont Dam in Italy in 1963?

On October 9, 1963, at 10:39 pm 260 million cubic meters of rock broke off from the top of Monte Toc, on the border between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. It fell into the reservoir of the Vajont Dam, producing an enormous wave of at least 50 million cubic meters of water.

What happens when dams collapse?

Throughout history, a large number of dam failures have caused immense property damage when floodwaters destroy infrastructure. In addition, ecosystems and habitats are destroyed as a result of waters flooding them. Along with this, dam failures over the years have taken thousands of lives.

What is a unique aspect of the Vajont Dam disaster in 1963?

The Vajont Dam “failure” is one of the most unique dam-related disasters in history because the dam structure, a concrete arch style, did not actually fail. Instead, a massive, landslide-triggered impulse wave overtopped the dam, causing a catastrophic downstream flood.

Where was the landslide in Italy?

On October 9, 1963, a landslide in Italy leads to the deaths of more than 2,000 people when it causes a sudden and massive wave of water to overwhelm a dam. The Diga del Vajont dam was built in the Vaiont Gorge to supply hydroelectric power to Northern Italy.

How was the rockslide at Vaiont triggered?

The October 9, 1963 landslide and flood at Vaiont Reservoir in northeast Italy (fig. 1) is a famous engineer- ing disaster caused by the failure to manage the effects of reservoir filling upon the stability of Monte Toc, just to the south. The disaster was unusual in that dam collapse did not trigger the ensuing flood.

How can we prevent dams from collapsing?

Actions such as using sandbags to increase freeboard and prevent overtopping, using riprap to prevent erosion to the dam structure, or applying a geotextile filter fabric to combat piping are all examples of emergency intervention techniques that can be used to try to save a dam from a total failure.

Can dams burst?

A dam failure or dam burst is a catastrophic type of failure characterized by the sudden, rapid, and uncontrolled release of impounded water or the likelihood of such an uncontrolled release. Dam failures are comparatively rare, but can cause immense damage and loss of life when they occur.

What is the tallest dam in the world?

Nurek Dam
Currently, the tallest dam in the world is Nurek Dam on the Vakhsh River in Tajikistan. It is 984 feet (300 meters) tall. Hoover Dam is 726.4 feet (221.3 meters) tall. Today, Hoover Dam still ranks in the top 20 of the tallest dams in the world, but only in the concrete gravity and arch categories.

Why does Italy have a lot of landslides?

Rainfall is the primary trigger of landslides in Italy (17); other causes are earthquakes and human activities. The impact of rainfall on the occurrence of landslides was studied for Calabria, southern Italy, for a dataset of landslides and daily rainfall records in the period 1921-2010.

How is the incidence of landslides expected to change in the future?

How is the incidence of landslides expected to change in the future? Incidences of landslides will increase. In purchasing a house, some steps can be taken to determine whether it is susceptible to a landslide hazard.

Why did the Vaiont dam fail?

The Vajont slide occurred because of combined effects of a rising reservoir and heavy rainfall – water within the soil reducing shear strength – reactivating a historic failure surface. The slide mass moved as a block, slipping on one or more saturated clay layers, continuous throughout large areas in the basin.

What happens if the Mullaperiyar dam goes down?

Here arises the concern of people living in the downstream of this river. If the Mullaperiyar dam collapses, three dams downstream — Idukki, Cheruthoni and Kolamavu won’t be able to withhold the incoming water (around 15 TMC) which in turn will break these dams, resulting in a catastrophe that will put at risk the lives of 3.5 million people.

Where is Idukki Dam and Mullaperiyar dam located?

Also shown is the location of Idukki Dam and other small dams in the region. This map roughly show the areas that could be affected in the event of a Mullaperiyar disaster. Scroll down to see interactive Satellite view of Mullapariyar Dam and Idukki Dam

What kind of material is Mullaperiyar dam made out of?

The Mullaperiyar Dam is a gravity dam made with concrete prepared from limestone and “surkhi” (burnt brick powder), and faced with rubble. Gravity dams use their weight and the force of gravity to support the reservoir and remain stable.

Who was the British Secretary at the time of Mullaperiyar Dam?

On 29 October 1886, a lease indenture for 999 years was made between the Maharaja of Travancore, Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma and the British Secretary of State for India for Periyar Irrigation Works. The lease agreement was signed by Dewan of Travancore V Ram Iyengar and State Secretary of Madras State J C Hannington.