46.267N – 12.329E
I guess this WoGE post was meant to commemorate the ~2000 victims of the Vajont catastrophe. On Oct. 9, 1963 (yes, exactly 45 ago) a huge landslide has displaced the entire water reservoir of the Vajont dam in northern Italy, and the generated tsunami has obliterated several villages down-stream. Although there’s still no consensus on what has caused the landslide, it seems quite obvious that the resulted tragedy was caused by human ignorance. Those interested in details can find information on en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajont_Dam and several webpages linked here.
However, I found out about the anniversary only after deciding on the location. My boss uses it as an example of landslides in his lectures, and I have been close to that area just recently. So I did some web search on it and found out that it was just 45 years ago to the day I posted it.
It seems that the people operating the dam tried to induce a controlled, slow descent of the masses that already had been moving slowly the months before. For this, they repeatedly raised and lowered the water table. (Lecture notes by Dave Petley)
Ironically, the dam itself was designed very well – it took almost no damage from the accident.
On http://www.vajont.net there are a lot of pictures of the dam and it’s surrounding (both before and after). Sadly, it’s only in Italian and French.
I’m looking forward to your next WoGE challenge. Hopefully, it’ not as hard as your previous.
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46.267N – 12.329E
I guess this WoGE post was meant to commemorate the ~2000 victims of the Vajont catastrophe. On Oct. 9, 1963 (yes, exactly 45 ago) a huge landslide has displaced the entire water reservoir of the Vajont dam in northern Italy, and the generated tsunami has obliterated several villages down-stream. Although there’s still no consensus on what has caused the landslide, it seems quite obvious that the resulted tragedy was caused by human ignorance. Those interested in details can find information on en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajont_Dam and several webpages linked here.
Yes, you’re right.
However, I found out about the anniversary only after deciding on the location. My boss uses it as an example of landslides in his lectures, and I have been close to that area just recently. So I did some web search on it and found out that it was just 45 years ago to the day I posted it.
It seems that the people operating the dam tried to induce a controlled, slow descent of the masses that already had been moving slowly the months before. For this, they repeatedly raised and lowered the water table. (Lecture notes by Dave Petley)
Ironically, the dam itself was designed very well – it took almost no damage from the accident.
On http://www.vajont.net there are a lot of pictures of the dam and it’s surrounding (both before and after). Sadly, it’s only in Italian and French.
I’m looking forward to your next WoGE challenge. Hopefully, it’ not as hard as your previous.
the one before this one took so long, I don’t think many people are playing anymore … it would be nice to have a few relatively easy ones maybe?
WoGE #144 is posted. Good luck!
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