The Dam Survived. The Town Below Didn't. | Vajont Disaster

On October 9, 1963, an entire mountainside collapsed into the reservoir behind Italy's Vajont Dam. The impact forced a colossal wave over the concrete wall and into the valley below. The dam survived. Nearly 2,000 people did not. This documentary reconstructs the warning signs, engineering decisions, geological uncertainty, and final 45 seconds that destroyed Longarone and nearby communities. Faultline Archive explores disasters, engineering failures, and the decisions that changed history. Subscribe for new long-form documentaries in English. 00:00 The dam survived 00:35 A monument to engineering 01:30 The mountain begins to move 03:15 Controlling the uncontrollable 04:55 The final filling 06:15 Forty-five seconds 07:30 The valley below 08:25 What failed at Vajont DISCLAIMER: This documentary includes AI-generated visual reconstructions and illustrative imagery. They are used for educational and storytelling purposes and should not be interpreted as authentic archival footage. Historical facts were researched from the sources cited below. Sources and further reading: • Italian Civil Protection — Vajont disaster historical record • Encyclopaedia Britannica — Vajont Dam disaster • Geological studies and contemporary records cited during production #Vajont #Documentary #EngineeringDisasters