GLENO DAM
DISASTER IN 1923
G'day folks,
The sinister ruins of one of the worst dam failures of the 20th century lie in this astonishing alpine setting.
In a growing modern nation craving for energy, as Italy
was at the beginning of the 20th century, hydroelectric power was a
synonym of progress, representing a victory of humankind over nature.
Yet in the mountains of Bergamo province in Lombardy, that attempted
feat would take a tragic turn.
Construction of a hydroelectric dam to exploit the river Gleno in
the the Valle di Scalve (Scalve valley) began in 1916, but the project
was immediately cursed by poor materials and poor workmanship. On top of
that, due to funding problems, the plan changed from the original idea
of a gravity dam to a multiple-arch dam while the work was still in
progress, resulting in a mixed-type dam.
Just after its completion, heavy rains filled the reservoir, and
several leaks caused concern among the inhabitants of the valley below.
Sure enough on December 1, 1923, at 7:15 in the morning, the tragedy
happened. The central section collapsed, causing a mass of 4.5 million
cubic meters of water to pour into the villages in the Scalve valley.
The official death toll counted 356 lives lost as a result of the flood,
as well as massive damage to roads, bridges and buildings.
What remains of the dam is a 160-foot-high concrete barrage with a huge,
chilling laceration in its central section. The sinister ruins are a
stark and surreal contrast with the stunning alpine surroundings.
Clancy's comment: Sadly, many who lost their lives were probably still in bed asleep.
I'm ...
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