VAJONT DAM – A TRAGEDY IN THE NORTH EAST OF ITALY – CIAO VALENTINA
A tsunami in the north-east of Italy that cannot be forgotten. One of the biggest mistakes made by humans that could and should have been avoided
A tsunami in the north-east of Italy that cannot be forgotten.
I was probably 10 years old when my parents first took me to Vajont Dam.
I remember a sense of silence and a surreal peace and I remember the huge dam, stood seemingly innocent, between 2 mountains.
Some 20 years after my first visit, I decided to come back for the 56th anniversary of the disaster that changed this area forever. I was reminded that you can never be truly emotionally prepared to visit here.
I won’t explain in any detail the technical reasons for what took place here, the internet is a great resource for such information. I am here to share what I felt, and perhaps how you can prepare yourself emotionally.
As soon as you leave your car, in front of the information point, you are reminded of the loss through small sheets of cotton showing the names of the children who died that night. The white sheets represent the unborn children who died in their mother’s wombs and never got a chance at life. Immediately I felt goose bumps as I realized that where I was standing was actually part of the landslide.
With the tour, I stopped near the little church very close to the entrance of the dam. Here the tour leader was explaining what happened that night and I was listening with closed eyes. No questions from the other participants of the tour. Impossible to talk, as if somebody had stolen the voice from us. Just the echo of the tour guide.
The walking tour takes you along a safe path that allows you to see the full height of the dam, and the town of Longarone down in the valley.
I was probably half way along the path when I started to imagine that night, exactly how the tour leader was explaining. On the 9th of October 1963 at 22.39hrs, a landslide containing 300 million cubic meters of earth fell from Mont Toc in only 40 seconds at a speed of 65km per hour.
The impact of the landslide displaced 48 million cubic meters of water in two huge waves. The first 80-meter high wave spread across the lake, completely enveloping the settlements along the banks. The second wave was 170 meters high and passed over the top of the dam destroying Longarone and all the other little villages in its path.
A real disaster that saw the death of 1910 souls – and me, standing there, between the remains of the old town and the dam, still in perfect condition, feeling the deep sense of silence, and wondering about the meaning of all this. Here there are just memories, and stories that cannot be forgotten.
On the same day I went to visit Casso, a very small, almost invisible little village not far from the dam with only 16 inhabitants. A jump back to the past that will make you feel, once again back in the old days. The old stone houses, narrow stone streets, and the silence.
The silence is everywhere, a reminder of those people that are no longer with us, that are part of this tragedy that could and should have been avoided.
If you are in the area, or you have the chance to visit, make sure you take part in the tour for a small cost of 6 euros, it doesn’t last more than 40 minutes. Do also visit the nearby areas and support the local economy.
This area in the North of Italy it’s perfect to visit if you are staying in Venice or nearby. I would highly recommended renting a car and driving here. It will take you less then 1hr and 30 minutes.
You will learn something authentic and unique, outside the common tourist Venetian areas.
Plus, you will do good, supporting the little local economy.
Valentina
P.S: Live, Travel, Laugh and Repeat
in a responsible way
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