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Articles

2011

Expecting Disaster: The 1963 Landslide of the Vajont Dam

Published
2012-01-30

Abstract

On October 9, 1963, a landslide above the Vajont Dam created a giant wave that destroyed several villages in the valley, killing about 2,000 people. Though the dam incorporated the latest technical expertise, it had been built without due consideration of geological reports, possible tectonic problems, and local knowledge of the territory. This caused debate as to whether to interpret the Vajont disaster as natural or one caused by human error.