|
|
|
|
|
Vajont
- a tragedy foretold
|
We
visit the scenes of the Vajont disaster, in the
heart of the Dolomites and discover a place where
nothing is as it should be
|
This
is a simple story, simple yet terrible. It's the
story of a reservoir built in the wrong place, of
endless unheeded warnings, of a piece of Mt. Toc
falling into the dam. This is the story of the 2000
people who were swept away at Longarone.
 Nearly
40 years have passed since the tragedy
of Vajont, a tragedy that is impossible
to forget. The reservoir, which at the time was
considered to be a masterpiece of engineering, is
still there, entrenched in millions of cubic metres
of clay. A 260-metre high monument to human
greed.
 Where
are we? Cortina is just up the road. The
tourists on their way up to the most famous resort
in the Dolomites can't help but noticing the dam
locked in its rocky ravine. But in order to realise
what really happened and to understand that after
the disaster nothing - except the
dam that is - could ever remain the
same then you have to take a short detour up the
mountain (follow the signpost for Pordenone as you
go into Longarone). The road is steep and after
a few tunnels you're on a level with the reservoir.
| Theatre |
| - The
Vajont disaster was back in the news
a few years ago thanks to an atmospheric
monologue written by Marco
Paolini and Gabriele
Vacis and performed by Paolini.
The piece was adapted for television
and captured an audience of millions.
Those of you who missed the show or
who wish to see it once more can buy
the video
and accompanying book
published by Einaudi (Video in Italian
only, to buy the English version of
the book see below.). |
| Cinema |
| Renzo Martinelli's
film on the tragedy is soon due on general
release throughout Italy. You will recognised
many of the scenes described in this
article. |
| Books
|
| Read "Sulla
pelle viva. Come si costruisce un catastrofe"
by the journalist Tina Merlin to
get to grips with the tragedy. Mauro
Corona's books will give
you a better understanding of the people
of the area. Corona is a striking figure,
born in mountains he is a climber, sculptor
and more recently a writer. As a child
he was left homeless by the disaster
only to return to the area in later
years. He writes about the world around
him and the people and animals that
inhabit it, always using the same terrible
backdrop of the gaping mountain. Read
"Il volo della martora"
published by Vivalda and "Finché
il cuculo canta" published
by Biblioteca dell’Immagine. |
|
Stop where you expect the basin of the dam to be.
There's a small church dedicated to the memory of
all those who died. The water is not where it should
be. In its place there are millions of cubic metres
of mud and debris. Walk back down the road as far
as the dam. Imagine the water forcing its way through
the gorge. Even the ground you are walking on is
not where it should be. It used to be part of Mt.
Toc, look right where the "M"
shape is.
You don't need to be an expert to realise that "M"
is the gaping wound left behind when part of the
mountain was forced away. It all seems impossible
today, yet it happened, only 40 years ago.
Get back into your car. You won't have noticed but
the road isn't where it should be. The old road
has disappeared and the new one winds its way through
the rocks and earth that should be higher up the
mountain.
There's a gym carved from the rockface on your left,
a tribute to the strength of character of
the people from this valley. Further up you'll come
upon the turn off for Casso.
Casso was partially saved by the rocks you passed
on your way up. The inhabitants of Casso, like the
rest of this valley, are not where they should be.
The town is semi-abandoned. Take a stroll
through the streets. It's an easy walk, real easy.
Yet no-one makes it this far: they all stop further
down the valley. Pass the church and keep going
up until you're overlooking the reservoir. Things
are different up here. Close-up you lose all
sense of proportion. From here everything is
clear. It's easy to imagine what happened that night
of October 9th 1963. Silence is the only
fitting tribute.
| While we wait
for the Longarone
Museum - Vajont Exhibition
to open we can visit Longorone's
Library. Objects found after the
disaster, photographs and all documentation
imaginable in a choice of languages
are on display. Opening times: Mon.
14-18. Tue-Fri. 15-18. Sat-Sun closed.
In the council's cultural section (open
in the mornings from 9-12) you can watch
a film on the terrible events although
it is advisable to book in advance (tel:
+39-0437-575819). |
|
|
| |
| by
GIOVANNI
SONEGO |
|
October
2001
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE SURVIVOR'S 
