The 1963 Vaiont Landslide

On the 9 th October 1963 a catastrophic landslide suddenly occ urred on the southern slope of the Vajont dam reservoir. A mass of approximately 270 million m 3 collapsed into the reservoir generating a wave whi ch overtopped the dam and hit the town of Longarone and other villages: almost 2000 people lost their lives. Many studies a nd researches were carried out on the geological and geomechanical asp ects and several attempts were made to explain the kinematics and dynamics of the landslide. This large mass of studie s and researches has greatly increased the understa nding of such phenomena, recognizing their precursory activity, p redicting their dynamic behaviour and identifying l ikely areas of triggering and deposition. This paper reports brief ly all the information reported in related papers , referring to the geological studies, to the chronology of events be fore 9 th October 1963 and to the different interpretations of the landslide triggering and actual mechanics and dynamics.