Historical Events tagged with "dam failure"

Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.

Natural Disasters

Failure of Situ Gintung Dam in Indonesia

March 27th, 2009 15 years ago

On March 27, 2009, the Situ Gintung dam in Indonesia collapsed, releasing a massive volume of water that swept through surrounding areas. The dam, built in the 1950s for irrigation and flood control, failed due to excessive rainfall and poor maintenance. The disaster resulted in the deaths of at least 99 people and caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure in the area, leading to extensive rescue and recovery efforts.

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Accidents & Tragedies

Kelly Barnes Dam Failure Results in 39 Deaths

November 6th, 1977 47 years ago

The Kelly Barnes Dam above Toccoa Falls College failed, releasing a massive amount of water that inundated the area below. This tragic incident occurred shortly after heavy rainfall, and the dam broke at approximately 6:00 PM, sending a wall of water down the valley. The surge swept through the campus and nearby residences, leading to the deaths of 39 people, many of whom were students. Emergency services worked quickly to rescue survivors and manage the disaster’s aftermath as the town grappled with the impact of the flood.

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Natural Disasters

Black Hills Dam Flood Devastates Communities

June 9th, 1972 52 years ago

Severe rainfall caused a dam in the Black Hills of South Dakota to burst, unleashing a catastrophic flood that resulted in the loss of 238 lives and inflicted $160 million in damage. The incident marked one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history, drastically affecting local communities along the Canyon Lake Dam.

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Natural Disasters

Catastrophic Failure of St. Francis Dam

March 12th, 1928 97 years ago

The St. Francis Dam near Los Angeles failed, releasing a torrent of water that devastated communities in the San Francisquito Canyon. Floodwaters swept through the region, leading to the deaths of 431 individuals and causing enormous destruction. The disaster underscored shortcomings in engineering practices and water management in the growing city of Los Angeles.

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