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5 CATASTROPHIC DAM FAILURES IN THE WORLD
29 Feb 2024
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Dams are engineering marvel built across rivers and streams to hold back water across a stream or river
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The potential benefits include water supply, electricity generation, flood control, recreation and irrigation
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However, their construction and maintenance can sometimes lead to catastrophic failures
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Here are some of these incidents that resulted in devastating consequences
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One of the earliest recorded dam disasters is the Johnstown Flood of 1889
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The South Fork Dam there failed after days of heavy rainfall resulting in death of 2,200 people
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In 1975, the Banqiao Dam in China's Henan province failed during a severe rainstorm caused by a typhoon
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The floodwaters surged through downstream towns, resulting in the loss of an estimated 171,000 lives
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Another major disaster was reported in June 1976, when the Teton Dam situated in Idaho experienced a catastrophic failure
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The dam failed just six months after its completion and 11,000 people were evacuated
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In 1979, the structure of Machchhu Dam in Gujarat collapsed due to heavy rain, killing 2,000 people
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The Vajont Dam, situated in the Italian Alps, experienced a catastrophic landslide-induced wave in October 1963
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