The 1963 Vaiont landslide.

ABSTRACT. On the 9th October 1963 a catastrophic landslide suddenly occurred on the southern slope of the Vajont dam reservoir. A mass of approximately 270 million m3 collapsed into the reservoir generating a wave which overtopped the dam and hit the town of Longarone and other villages: almost 2000 people lost their lives. Many studies and researches were carried out on the geological and geomechanical aspects and several attempts were made to explain the kinematics and dynamics of the landslide. This large mass of studies and researches has greatly increased the understanding of such phenomena, recognizing their precursory activity, predicting their dynamic behaviour and identifying likely areas of triggering and deposition. This paper reports briefly all the information reported in related papers, referring to the geological studies, to the chronology of events before 9th October 1963 and to the different interpretations of the landslide triggering and actual mechanics and dynamics.