Vajont Dam-Monte Toc, Italy

Introduction: Vajont is located in the south-eastern part of the Dolomite

Region of the Italian Alps, about 100 km north of Venice. During the filling of
the reservoir a block of approximately 270 million cubic metres detached from
one wall and slid into the lake at velocities of up to 30 m/sec (approx. 110
km/h). As a result a wave over topped the dam by 250 m and swept onto the
valley below. Remarkably the dam remained unbroken by the flood.
Fatalities: lost of about 2500 lives and several villages completely wiped out.
Failure Year: 1963
Causes of Failure: Strictly not a dam failure, since the dam structure did not
collapse and is still standing. Filling the reservoir caused geological failure in
valley wall, leading landslide into the lake; water escaped in a wave over the
top of dam. Valley had been incorrectly assessed stable
 Machchu-2 Dam-Morbi, India
Introduction: Vajont is located in the south-eastern part of the Dolomite
Region of the Italian Alps, about 100 km north of Venice. During the filling of
the reservoir a block of approximately 270 million cubic metres detached from
one wall and slid into the lake at velocities of up to 30 m/sec (approx. 110
km/h). As a result a wave over topped the dam by 250 m and swept onto the
valley below. Remarkably the dam remained unbroken by the flood.
Fatalities: lost of about 2500 lives and several villages completely wiped out.
Failure Year: 1963
Causes of Failure: Strictly not a dam failure, since the dam structure did not
collapse and is still standing. Filling the reservoir caused geological failure in
valley wall, leading landslide into the lake; water escaped in a wave over the
top of dam. Valley had been incorrectly assessed stable