Vajont

Overview

On October 9, 1963, a catastrophic landslide of 260 million cubic meters of rock plummeted from Mount Toc into the Vajont dam's artificial lake, triggering a monstrous wave that reached 250 meters. This disaster annihilated nearby towns and claimed over 2,000 lives. The Vajont dam, engineered by Semenza, was designed to provide electricity across Italy. Journalist Tina Merlin, working for 'L'Unitá', tirelessly warned of the peril posed by the dam’s location and the negligence of corrupt officials, but her warnings fell on deaf ears. Tragically, the consequences of their inaction unfolded that fateful night.